Gambling With Destiny
by Phoebe Delos
Summary: A wager between gods leaves the Pharaoh racing against time to defeat a forgotten enemy when the final duel goes awry and he loses his partner. But what Atem learns will leave him questioning his past, destiny, and his purpose among the living.
1. Chapter One

**Title: **Gambling With Destiny  
**Chapter: **1 out of 36  
**Author:** Phoebe Delos  
**Fandom: **Yu-Gi-Oh! DM  
**Story Summary: **A twist of fate during the Ceremonial Duel leaves everyone saying goodbye to the one they didn't expect to. Now, with his partner gone, the former pharaoh must place his trust in a girl with questionable intentions to unravel the mystery of what happened to Yuugi, all the while taking on a new threat of ancient origins.  
**Story Rating:** **M**ature for **Language**, **Violence**, Potential **Sexual Situations**, & Occasional **Dark Tones**.  
**Chapter Summary: **An unexpected outcome in the Ceremonial Duel results in shock and despair.  
**Chapter Warnings**: Nothing much, as it's just a prelude. A little **Language**.  
**Characters & Shipping: **Both 'Yuugis' & the witnesses of the ceremonial battle. Plus some hints of **Puzzleshipping**.  
**Word Count:** 2,425  
**Spoilers: **The end of the series, and anything prior. That includes a certain spirit's real name.  
**Disclaimer:** I'm ecstatic if I have enough money to fill the gas tank up when needed. Somehow, I don't think that'd be the case if I had a claim in the YuGiOh! franchise.  
**Notes:** I'm going to warn ahead of time that this is going to be a story that doesn't have the most straight forward of concepts. There will be things that are hinted at or said that are seemingly illogical, and won't be explained until towards the very end. But trust me when I say I know where all of it is headed. Hopefully a more challenging ride will result in a more rewarding finish in the end. On a lighter note, does anyone else remember if the Duel Disks make sounds? I seem to remember them beeping, but it's been awhile since I've watched the show, so I'm not sure. Also, anyone know a good beta?  
**Dedications:** First thanks goes to Kazuki Tahahashi for creating the series in the first place. Other than that, a general thanks to the fanwriters of the series out there that helped me keep and kindle my love for it. Third, I give a nod to the writers of the show Lost... because they showed me I could come up with a crazy, confusing storyline that takes a manual to work out, and actually be successful with it. Just have to keep those facts straight! Lastly, song credits for the lyrics used go to **Not As We **by **Alanis Morisette**.

* * *

**:: Chapter One :: **  
_Reborn and shivering  
Spat out on new terrain  
Unsure unconvincing  
This faint and shaky hour_

"Silent Magician... Launch a direct attack to the player!"

The wavering command was followed with a blinding flash of light, coming from the staff of a monster that was nothing more than a hologram. Yet in this place that bent logic so easily, allowing two people to fight when they shouldn't be able to even exist separately, that attack was as real as any bullet or knife. That strike, while not causing any physical harm, was the decisive move in a battle of life and death.

Even though the person at stake wasn't even alive.

A series of echoing gasps filled the room as the light died around Atem, giving him a chance to see once more. But he did not show any of the shock that painted everyone else's faces. He had already overcome his when Monster Reborn floated out of the golden box, and everything after that had been a given. Thus he had the time to filter out everything from his expression but calm acceptance. His eyes remained stapled onto his partner's form, despite how everyone else was staring at him, despite how the only one he _wanted_ to meet eyes with wasn't looking up.

The final monster on the field faded away in a burst of millions of colors, the Duel Disks on the players' arms turning off with a quick series of noises that sounded exceedingly loud in the large space of the Ceremonial Chamber. But then those electronic beeps were the only thing to be heard. A tense hush had settled over them all, no one daring to make a peep. But that lasted only a beat before Yuugi was no longer able to hold back the sharp intake of a sob, falling to the ground, unable to bear the weight of the choice he had just made.

The sight and sound of Yuugi's cry broke Atem out of his stillness. Quietly stepping before him, Atem could not help the small smile he wore. The satisfaction he felt in this young man's strength was at the forefront of his mind. It overshadowed any other emotions swimming through him – emotions that could not be allowed expression. If he were honest with himself, Atem would have rushed forward to embrace his partner until his tears stopped, rambling out confessions of absurd desires that would selfishly undercut everything they had worked so hard to achieve. But Atem had never voiced these desires before, and he would not now, when it would only make things harder for Yuugi and himself.

It was that pride and the urge to quell Yuugi's sorrow that pushed Atem to walk calmly forward until he could reach down and touch him, if he so wished, smiling softly at the down-turned face. When he received no reaction from him he spoke up, gently pulling Yuugi back to reality.

"I lost, _aibou_."

It took some more urging, Atem needing to remind Yuugi of his strength - a unique strength the former pharaoh considered so obvious and unquestionable - before the one kneeling finally managed to glance up and meet his own mauve gaze. The searching look in those wide eyes tugged at Atem's composure, but he covered the weakness easily as he pulled the boy up to his feet, his gratitude for Yuugi's constant courage and guidance managing to come out smoothly, just a hint of everything else he wanted to say slipping into his voice. But, whatever he was or was not able to hide, his words calmed Yuugi enough to still his tears, allowing him to speak.

"_Mou hitori no boku_..."

"I am not _mou hitori no boku _anymore."

Sharp whisper of a gasp escaped Yuugi as his gaze questioned him, the confusion swimming in his eyes warning Atem that he needed to make his point fast, before Yuugi mistook his meaning for a rejection of the name, of what they were. The possibility urged Atem to speak more sharply than he intended.

"There is no other Yuugi than y-"

The words died on Atem's tongue as a bizarre sensation washed over him, erasing everything he had prepared to say as he tried to place the feeling. Yuugi apparently felt it as well, as he did not bat an eye at Atem's sudden silence, or the removal of the hands that had rested so naturally on his shoulders. His brow simply furrowed in a mirroring focus, trying to find what had caught their attention.

It was not particularly unpleasant somewhat like catching a stray cool breeze from a door opening in another room. What was so strange was the sensation was not a physical one, nor even of the mental type that he and Yuugi had shared for nearly two years now. It was a chill shooting straight through the soul, and Atem was aimlessly reminded of that saying he must have heard someone say to Yuugi.

_Have you ever had the feeling someone was walking over your grave?_

Atem was still staring unseeingly at his partner when a collective intake of breath caught his notice. Having all but forgotten the presence of the others in the room, the sound of many of them making a noise at once made him _almost _jump. He managed to subdue the urge, although Yuugi wasn't so lucky, and turned his eyes questionably towards those standing about the chamber. But their gazes were not on him, and it was Anzu pointing over his shoulder with the hand that wasn't covering her mouth that told Atem to turn around and look at the wall behind him.

What he saw _did _make him jump this time, and he stepped in front of Yuugi without a thought as he stared disbelieving at the sight before him. The gate that should not have unlocked until he stated his name was already open, having unsealed and pulled back its heavy doors without a sound. And what lay beyond those doors made Atem compulsively slip his hand back and grab Yuugi's wrist in a firm grip, ready to pull him as far away as possible if needed.

Atem did not know what should be beyond that gate, but everything inside him scream that this was _not _it. There was no shining, welcoming light, nor a black darkness ready to shallow his soul into the shadows for the final time. There wasn't anything there at all. It was impossible to properly describe, but there was simply nothing beyond that door, no color, no movement, _nothing_. And just staring at it made that earlier foreign feeling return with a vengeance.

As he felt Yuugi tug his wrist out of his grip to clasp it instead in his own small hand, Atem turned back to him, ignoring the confused calls of their friends as he met his gaze, struggling to keep his anxiety from his face.

"_Aibou_, get off the stage. Grab the puzzle and-"

"I won't leave you he-"

Atem's order and Yuugi's interrupting protest were cut short as a different voice reached their ears, leaving both of them to slowly turn and stare at the gaping hole in baffled wonder. Atem had not imagined what might come out of that... place, but nothing even _close _to this had come to mind. What he heard was not growls and roars of a monster, nor even dark threats or whispers of a tainted spirit, the likes of which might crawl out of the dark world.

What he was hearing was _singing_.

The voice was very light and soft, feathery in its quiet lull as it fell over them, the fear Atem felt seeping away bit by bit. Pulling out of the protective, alert stance he had taken before his partner, he felt Yuugi move to stand at his side, the grip of their joined hands relaxing so much that only a twitch of movement could break the hold. But Atem did not look at the one beside him, his eyes fixed before him, expecting the source of that sound to arise from the emptiness. What was the point of concern, after all? Something this beautiful could only be divine, straight from the gods!

When a flicker of movement out of the corner of his eyes finally urged him to look away - a task no one else in the room managed - Atem could do no more than blink languidly as Yuugi approached the doorway, the reflection of the tears still in his eyes catching his attention as Yuugi passed him. The sight of him slipping away set off a warning in his heart, screaming to be heard, but the balm of music sedated Atem's mind so that he could not make a sound, simply watching in disassociated horror as the wrong one walked through the door.

The instant the last inch of Yuugi was engulfed in the nothing the music stopped and the stone doors slid shut with such a fast crash they almost cracked from the impact. And immediately sanity returned to the room, followed by panic.

"What... what just happened?"

"Is this some kind of sick joke?"

"How would I know? Why'd that door open on its own? It's not suppose to do _that_, is it?"

"N-no! The gate was only supposed to open for the pharaoh when his name was-"

"Who cares about that? _What the hell happened to Yuugi_?"

The cries, fighting, and fear echoing all around him didn't earn even a twitch from Atem. He had not moved a muscle since the doors slammed shut. The fact that he should be trying to calm his friends didn't enter his mind. He just kept staring at the sealed gate, waiting for what happened to be proven a hallucination or trick, or for the gate to reopen and give him back his partner. Surely, _surely_, this was not happening to him again.

But every mental cry he gave of his partner's name remained unanswered, their link having been severed for their duel. There was nothing before him but a closed door and an empty, solitary mind.

"...Atem..."

Those closest to the duelist stalled their fighting when they heard him speak, and a wave of silence swept slowly over the group as they turned their attention to him. Otogi followed Honda's surprised stare, the directing gaze of his sister turned Marik around, Seto's coat was tugged by his brother when he didn't stop fighting with Jounouchi, and Sugoroku placed a stalling hand on Anzu's arm. He was turned away, but the way he kept saying his own name over and over, more anger seeping into his voice with every second, made his growing panic obvious.

"Atem... Atem... Atem!"

"Yuugi..."

"_Atem_!"

"Yuugi, it's not going to work! Just stop-"

Atem shrugged off Jounouchi's hand, not looking at him just as he refused to break his watery glare on the faded eye above, manic desperation clouding his eyes as he stepped forward to pound a fist on the stubborn door. Honda had stepped up to his other side, trying to grab his arm to stop him, but he ignored him just as he did the pain that shot through his arm. But he could only manage a couple more slams of flesh on stone before the two managed to wrestle his arms back, the small man struggling the whole way.

"Atem! Why won't it-"

"_Yuugi_!"

Jounouchi finally managed to catch his attention by stepping right in front of him - breaking his eye contact with the door - and hauling him up by his coat collar, meeting his gaze determinedly even as his own gaze wavered with misery.

"Stop it, Yuugi, he's gone! He's gone..."

Jounouchi seemed to deflate at his own words, losing his spark to fight as the unexpected truth hit him too, and his grip loosened on Atem, allowing the numb man to slip down to his knees, kneeling over in a stance near identical to the one his partner had taken at the end of their duel. The room went silent as some started to cry, some fell into a shell shocked state, and the rest simply stared sadly at the curled up pharaoh. Yet not one of them made a word of protest to Jounouchi's presumptive claim. While no one understood what had just happened, the collective belief felt completely undeniable.

Yuugi had gone somewhere none of them could follow.

The room grew suffocating with the sorrow choking them all, but the fear of setting off something even worse kept everyone silent. Unfortunately, even their silence could not hold off the inevitable. Those who had not been present when Rafael managed to separate the two souls from one another were in for a baffling, cruel surprise at the agony they witness. But those that had seen Atem fall apart and scream to the heavens were not shocked at the sound that was wrenched from that kneeling form. They had just always hoped they would never have to hear it again.

"_Aibou_!"

* * *

The sound of paper, or very thin plastic, being shuffled filled the air near the stairway that led down to a cavern that not long ago had been filled with the sounds of a fight, and then a voice that could only be described as divine. The distant noises had understandably echoed out to the open desert, and been well within hearing range of the girl that sat in the shadow of the surrounding cliffs. And yet she had not moved a muscle to check out the source, nor run in fear of the abnormality of it all. She kept staring at the entrance with an expectant look, her face otherwise completely void of expression.

It was the constant shuffling of the Duel Monsters deck in her hands, made up of both seemingly brand new cards and battered, aged ones, that gave away the anxiety that coursed through her.

Her movements only stopped when the music did, a resounding slam of rock vibrating under her sneakers, despite the buffer the sand should have provided. But she paid no mind, nearly bending her cards in her tense grip as wide, slate eyes stared anxiously at the stairs, mindlessly chewing on her lip as she waited for something, anything to happen.

"..._Aibou_!"

The sound of the heartbroken cry was muffled by the distance, and yet the young woman flinched like she had been hit, cards slipping through her fingers and gliding unnoticed to the ground as her expression darkened.

The Ceremonial Duel was finally over. Now the part she dreaded had finally begun.

_Eyes wet toward  
Wide open frayed  
If God's taking bets  
I pray He wants to lose _


	2. Chapter Two

**Title: **Gambling on Destiny**  
Chapter: **2 out of 35**  
Author: **Phoebe Delos**  
Fandom: **Yu-Gi-Oh! DM**  
Characters & Shipping: **Atem, some Jounouchi, Kaiba, and a new character. Traces of **Puzzleshipping**.**  
****Story Summary:** The duel should have ended the story. But the vessel was taken in place of the spirit. The game is set. A wager between gods leaves the Pharaoh racing against time to defeat a forgotten enemy, running blind to solve the riddle of Yuugi's fate. But what Atem learns will leave him questioning his past, his destiny, and his connection to the boy at the center of it all. If Atem cannot see the truth, all is lost. The clock is ticking.**  
Story Rating: M**ature for **Language**, **Violence**, Potential **Sexual Situations**, & Sporadic **Dark Tones**.**  
Chapter Summary:** The group makes a not-so-easy retreat from the cavern and receive an unexpected helping hand.**  
Chapter Warnings: **K+ for some light **Language** & **Angst**.**  
Word Count: **3,190**  
Spoilers: **The end of the series, and anything prior. That includes a certain spirit's real name. Expect some mixing of anime and manga facts.**  
Disclaimer: **Wouldn't it be amazing to able to say 'Yep, Yu-Gi-Oh is all mine'? But, alas, this is not so. I must simply marvel at it's genius like everybody else.**  
Notes: **And since she's properly shown in this chapter, I should mention that Miss Ravin is not an OC... I know that doesn't sound logical at this point, but you'll just have to trust me on that. In fact, there will be a number of 'new faces' in this story that if I tried to claim as mine, I could be rightly sued by Takahashi for plagarism. Of course, some will be more obvious than others, but... That aside, the focus on her and the others will become very explainable with time. I am even considering making some sort of contest out of who can guess what Ravin's role is in all this... But I'll need to be able to think of a prize first.**  
Special Thanks/Dedications:** I want to give a heads up to my first two reviewers, **Hollow Mashiro** for the compliments and curiosity, and **Nasakebukai Hyzwnthlay** for melting me into a general mess of flattered goo. I'm glad you've enjoyed the intro, and hope you like the rest of the ride, too! Oh, and song credits this time go to **Lifehouse** for **Broken**.

* * *

**:: Chapter Two ::  
**_I'm falling apart  
I'm barely breathing  
With a broken heart  
That's still beating_

"Yuugi..."

Anzu shut her mouth quickly and swallowed back another round of tears when her quiet call only upset her friend further, the hard hitch in between his sobs making her mentally kick herself. She might see the man before her as Yuugi - see _both_ of them as Yuugi - but she heard Atem deny his claim on that name, just before that voice had tricked them all and taken away the original. Calling him that now would simply hurt him more, reminding him of what he just lost.

After Atem had started to scream for Yuugi, the group had reacted mostly in one of two ways. Many of them hung back, not sure how to react to the living spirit's distress. But Anzu and Sugoroku had joined Jounouchi and Honda upon the stage, gathering closer to the man in hopes of comforting him. But Atem seemed in no hurry to stop his cries, and the only reason he'd quieted was his voice had become hoarse. The three friends and dejected elder were left staring down at him, helpless before Atem's pain.

The only one that dared to move towards him was Sugoroku, but he simply put a hand on one hunched shoulder as tears gathered in his own eyes, knowing he'd be pushed away if he tried anything more. It was probably best to leave him be for now.

Unfortunately, the gods seemed to disagree with him.

Only moments after the elder Mutou had offered his gesture of support, noise rumbled through the room. The sound was so soft at first that Sugoroku thought he was hearing the crackle of the lit torches, but it quickly escalated until it was thundering all around them. His orchid eyes widened in terror as he felt the ground tremble under his feet.

"An earthquake?" Mokuba cried as the room shook. The boy tripped at a particularly rough tremble, but his brother caught him by the back of his vest.

"Come on!" Seto demanded before turning around and sprinting across the room, his brother hot on his heels.

"Wait! The Pharaoh-"

"Rishid, unless you want to be buried here, move it!" Malik yelled at his hesitating brother, turning to run. But the pair had to stop when a cry came from behind them, as Ishizu tripped on her skirt. The two instantly turned and helped the woman up before taking off again, though their pace was slow thanks to Ishizu's injured ankle.

"O-Otogi-san, what are you doing?" Bakura, jsut behind the Ishtars, stalled when he saw the dice master running the other way. The dark-haired man ignored him, quickly grabbing Sugoroku's arm.

"Come on, Mutou-san. I can't leave you behind!" Otogi yelled, leaving out that Yuugi wouldn't have wanted his grandfather to die. Sugoroku hesitated, looking down at the unresponsive Atem, but Honda was almost instantly on his other side.

"Ji-san, we have to go! Anzu and Jounouchi can handle him!" The two managed to lead him off the stage and towards the stairs, while behind them Anzu tried to shake some reaction out of Atem.

"Yuugi! Please, we have to-" Anzu flinched as Atem harshly pulled his arm from her grip. He seemed perfectly happy to stare up at that closed door until the roof literally caved in on him. The fact that he might even _prefer_ it made Anzu shudder, and then jump as the first pillar collapsed. But before she could speak again Jounouchi dragged him up by the back of his jacket, though he only rose to his knees.

"Do you think dying here is going to do anything, huh? What good will come from that? You think Yuugi would be proud of you getting yourself-" Jounouchi's comments were too well aimed, given how Atem shot him such an icy look he dropped him and stepped back. If the pharaoh had still been wearing that puzzle of his, Jounouchi wouldn't have been surprised to see a golden eye appear on his brow.

But their attention was quickly diverted when a loud hiss came from the tablet in front of them. All three pairs of eyes widened as they saw lines growing and gaping in the brown stone of the Millennium Tablet, smoke rising from the cracks as they appeared. The brittle structure of the stone started to collapse, a couple of the items shifting as the container broke apart.

The fact that he might be hurt if he approached the mystical slate didn't even cross Atem's mind. The only thing he knew was their puzzle, the only link he still had to his partner, was still resting in its confines. He paid no mind to Anzu crying his name as he rose up and stepped closer, ignoring the shaking that started below his feet. He managed to make it three steps - his hand already reaching for the golden pyramid nestled in its brittle niche - when a hand grabbed his other arm, tugging him back so harshly his neck snapped from the recoil.

"Are you crazy, Yuugi?"

Atem was prepared to give Jounouchi a colorful reprimand for his interference, but the words died on his tongue when the stone collapsed in on itself, the jingle of metal tapping against metal ringing out as the Ankh and the Scales banged against each other. All seven items fell with the brown, broken pieces of the tablet into a dark, endless hole as Anzu cried out.

"The Millennium Items!"

Atem stared after them, his eyes trained on the one item he'd been only a finger's brush away from rescuing. The puzzle he'd carried with him through two lives and been imprisoned within disappeared with a glint of reflective gold, and it felt like all his hopes were disappearing with it. Without the items the door would not open to allow him in - or Yuugi out.

Anger sparking towards Jounouchi, he glared over his shoulder at the man still holding his arm, ready to bite out a harsh demand to know why he stopped him. But the blond teen wasn't even looking at him, his eyes glued on the top of another pillar starting to crack. Atem followed his gaze and noticed as well, but his reaction was nothing next to the curses spewing from Jounouchi about how the ceiling could cave in and crush them all.

Thankfully, Jounouchi didn't let go of his friend's arm when he took off, virtually dragging him along as he trailed after the retreating group. Atem was dead wait at first, reluctant to leave the last place he'd seen Yuugi, but a large slab of stone landing on the ground not a foot from them woke him up to the fact that if he kept slowing Jounouchi down, he was going to get him killed, too. And so Atem managed to dredge up enough energy to jog alongside him across the chamber, dodging a couple toppling columns as Bakura and Anzu called for them to hurry from somewhere up ahead.

It was just when Atem made it to the first stone step that a flicker shot through his spirit and alerted his mind, the magic he possessed with or without the Puzzle alerting him that someone else - someone special – was near. Blind hope clouded his reason as he stopped again, ignoring Jounouchi's irritated cry as he desperately scanned the chamber.

He was almost certain he saw a familiar form with bright blue eyes on the other side of the room, but within the space of a blink the figure was gone. He couldn't swear to what he had seen, but either way it hadn't been who he was looking for.

"Yuugi, so help me, if I have to knock you out and carry you out of here myself, I'll do-"

Jounouchi didn't even need to finish before Atem swept passed him, leaving him blinking comically at empty space before a pillar falling near his toes made him squawk a cry. And he was off again, quickly catching up and passing Atem on the winding stairs that, while not yet collapsing, were shaking terribly and threatening to break apart any instant.

A few thousand steps later, Atem saw the light at the end of the ascending tunnel. It was dim, and he couldn't make out very much between the dust and the bodies in front of him, but the sight was enough to push him forward, yet sap his energy as adrenaline died down. The others put a good distance between themselves and the cavern's entrance before stopping, Bakura and Mokuba falling to their knees, Honda and Sugoroku both bent over panting, and Jounouchi dramatically falling face first to the sands. But Atem stopped the moment he wouldn't be killed, kneeling down on the last stairs as he stared blindly ahead.

_Aibou?_

Atem waited, not sure why he was torturing himself when he already knew that the only response would be silence. Still his desperation to feel the precious brush of that familiar mind spurred him on irrationally, and just as irrationally he felt that same sinking despair as he had before when no one replied. It wasn't the dust in the air that made his eyes prickle.

"What happened back there, huh?"

"What are you looking at me for, Honda? I don't know!"

"Sister, do you have any idea what is going on? I thought if Yuugi won, the door was supposed to open for the Pharaoh, not him..."

"I... I honestly don't understand what occurred myself, Malik. But I _am_ certain that's what the prophecy said would happen. Also, the doors opening in the manner they did, and what we heard... The term 'divine intervention' seems rather applicable, actually."

While he was uninterested in the conversation going on around him, too numb to care, Atem had to look up and glare at Ishizu's back at that comment - or what he assumed was her back, his vision too watery to make out much. He might not know what was responsible for his partner's disappearance, but no matter how angelic that singing had been, it couldn't have been an act of the gods that had called him away. Nothing benevolent would ever steal Yuugi!

For once, he and Kaiba were on the same page, even if it was for different reasons. But as the CEO's scathing voice broke in, Atem turned his attention to searching for some hint, some connection in his broken memories that could explain disembodied voices or doors to nothing. Kaiba's opinion would not help with that.

"Divine inter- Alright, perhaps there's some truth to this Egyptian magic and 'two Yuugis' mess-"

"HA!"

"Shut up, loser."

There was a pause as Kaiba and Jounouchi stared daggers at each other, before the former continued, sounding like he thought Ishizu demented.

"But Ishtar, claiming 'the gods' called Yuugi's spirit into the underworld for no reason?"

"I am not saying I understand what happened any better than you, Seto Kaiba, but simply that I cannot think of a way that any mortal entity could have the power to disrupt the outcome of that battle. There's a number of things here that make no sense. But, the most pressing one is Yuugi... and why the Pharaoh still has control of his body."

A sinking feeling settled in Atem's gut, thinking that what the middle Ishtar sibling was saying couldn't be good. Surprisingly, it was Bakura that managed to questioned her first, his voice quiet and uncertain.

"W-what do you mean? Why wouldn't he..."

Ishizu glanced in Atem's direction, but quickly turned back to Bakura as if she was disturbed by what she saw. It made him distantly note that he had yet to wipe the tears off his face. But he didn't see much point.

"If the Pharaoh... What once chained him to the Millennium Item seems to have been severed. Perhaps it is simply because he lost, and he was only supposed to return to the Puzzle again if he won, but... He seems to now be bound to Yuugi's body as clearly as if it were his own, and that could not be if-"

Atem's stomach jumped into his throat at the unfinished part of that sentence. He'd only be able to claim Yuugi's body if there was no other soul present to do so. That would mean Yuugi wasn't just missing, he was... He had to swallow hard to fight back the nausea at the idea that Yuugi might truly have taken his place. He didn't hear a lot of what was said after that, and he only caught Anzu's own heartbroken, watery question.

"But.. but, can we get him back? Is there any way we can get Yuugi _back_?"

Silence followed. No one had an answer - or at least not one they were willing to share.

That was how Atem saw it as he looked anxiously around the group, searching for some sign of hope among the faces. But the only thing to be found was confusion, anger, and grief. And as he didn't need to see a mirror of his own feelings, Atem looked away again, dejectedly wondering if Ishizu knew of some other path into the realm of the dead. Perhaps, if nothing else, he could find Yuugi on the other side.

Thanks to his lowered eyes, Atem just missed how everyone silently turned when someone stepped out of the shadow of the rocky cliffs. A few, in particular an oddly irate Seto, moved to speak. But the new arrival passed them all without a glance, going straight for Atem, still in the entrance of the cavern.

As such, when a small hand reached down to grasp his shoulder gently - sneakers under slim, jean-covered legs hovering in his lowered vision - Atem was ready to bite at Mokuba to leave him be.

"Can you stand up?"

Atem froze with his mouth half-open, his brow furrowing at the voice that was certainly _not_ Mokuba's. It was soft, concerned, strangely comforting, not quite familiar, yet... Not to mention it was a girl's. Glancing up, Atem followed his line of vision passed a plum jacket over a white blouse, and found a pale face hovering close to his. He might have backed up and given her a harsh look for invading his personal space, but he was too intrigued to notice.

Despite something telling him to search his memories for an identity, he knew he had never seen her before.

Wide eyes stared back at him, yellow gold, pointed bangs framing and falling in the face they were set in. Those eyes were so dark they were practically black. But it was the look in them that held Atem's attention. There was worry and sadness there, yet there was also a touch of... happiness? Indeed, the girl's lips tugged back in a small, friendly smile, which Atem responded to by staring at her like she had grown an extra head.

The sudden arrival made Atem not think much of it when she offered her hand to him, and he took it numbly. It was only when she tugged him forward that he realized she was helping him stand, and he stumbled and had to catch himself before he could fell and took her with him. She helped steady him with the hand on his shoulder before releasing him and stepping back. Still, Atem was in for another surprise when he realized that despite his own short stature he had to actually look _down_ to meet her gaze. He waited, expecting her to say something, yet she seemed perfectly happy to keep grinning at him in that encouraging way, further confusing him.

ButAtem wasn't the only one baffled by her appearance on the scene, and unlike him, most of them were not struck silent. So, while they'd taken a bit to get over their surprise, they recovered much faster. Anzu turned questioningly to Ishizu, who only shook her head to show her own uncertainty. Mokuba was downright troubled, looking anxiously between the new arrival and his brother, who kept glaring at the woman's back, irritation the only thing clear on his face. But it was Jounouchi who predictably lost his patience first, and barked towards the girl.

"Hey!"

His cry managed to catch the attention of the pair, Atem glancing at him with misery stamped on his face, while the girl gave him a few surprised blinks. Apparently she'd forgotten the rest of them were there, which only spurned Jounouchi on to give her a piece of his mind. But as he opened his mouth the girl gave beaming smile, pleasantly surprised to see the blond. It stole most of the fire out of Jounouchi, and his would-have-been yell came out as a sputtered question.

"W-who the hell are you supposed to be?"

"Ah, right!" She spun around on a heel to grin at the group, the calm she'd expressed when dealing with Atem squashed in the face of twelve pairs of eyes all focused on her. She gave a small, nervous chuckle as she scratched the back of her neck. It made everyone stare at her oddly, and for Atem's part he found the behaviour oddly surreal. But that feeling was quickly pushed aside when her introduction was cut off.

"Well, um, my name is Lucia-"

"She's Jeu Ravin."

Seto's clipped interruption drew everyone's eyes to him. Glancing from the angered Kaiba to the suddenly frozen girl, who looked like a deer in headlights, Atem couldn't help but question what the connection between the two was, even as he wondered why it mattered to him.

"Okay, uh, yeah." Jounouchi looked between the CEO and Lucia or Jeu Ravin, expression making it clear that being given a name (or two) didn't help. Either way, Malik managed to speak up first.

"But, how did you find this place? Only the tomb guardians are supposed to know about this spot, and for you to be here, right now..."

Apparently, Lucia-Jeu thought that was a good question, too, given how she stared at Malik for a few seconds, as though she wasn't certain what to say. The fact that she couldn't just _tell_ them drew Atem's suspicion, and the man stepped forward to face her. Lucia-Jeu-Whoever-She-Was instantly looked his way, her glance curious until she saw the hardness in his pained eyes, making her immediately stiffen, the emotion leaking out of her own expression.

"Why are you here?"

His voice came out softer than he would have liked, still hoarse from earlier, but the rough edge was enough to make everyone pause and wait for Atem to get his answer first. But instead of growing nervous under that threatening red gaze, she stared right back. He could tell from the cracks in her composure that she was trying to curb the urge to say something, her lips twitching and things he couldn't read flashing in her eyes. But when she spoke, her words were serious, and whatever she was holding back, it was quite clear she meant what she _did_ said.

"I am here because you are going to need my help."

_I'm hanging on another day  
Just to see what you'll throw my way  
I'm hanging on to the words you say  
You said that I will be okay _


	3. Chapter Three

**Title:** Gambling With Destiny**  
Chapter: **3 out of 36**  
Author:** Phoebe Delos**  
Fandom:** Yu-Gi-Oh! DM**  
Characters & Shipping: **A bit of everyone, but mostly Atem, Jeu, Jounouchi, & Malik. Some Puzzleshipping.**  
Story Summary:** The duel should have ended the story. But the vessel was taken in place of the spirit. The game is set. A wager between gods leaves the Pharaoh racing against time to defeat a forgotten enemy, running blind to solve the riddle of Yuugi's fate. But what Atem learns will leave him questioning his past, his destiny, and his connection to the boy at the center of it all. If Atem cannot see the truth, all is lost. The clock is ticking.**  
Story Rating: M**ature for **Language**, **Violence**, Potential **Sexual Situations**, & Sporadic **Dark Tones**.**  
Chapter Summary:** A few answers result in even more questions, and potential wild goose chase is set in motion as Atem sets out with his friends and their impromptu guide.**  
Chapter Warnings:** **K+ **for Language & Angst.**  
Word Count:** 6,794**  
Spoilers: **The end of the series, and anything prior. That includes a certain spirit's real name. Expect some mixing of anime and manga facts.**  
Disclaimer: **Yu-Gi-Oh! isn't mine. There, happy? You made me sad!**  
Notes:** Check it out, the ever growing chapter is done! Actually, this is cut short from what I planned! But yes, I would like to point out that I am pulling some artistic license in following YGO's idea that Luxor Temple was Atem's palace, but also saying that the temple from reality was connected to it. Oh, and this hasn't been beta'd yet, so watch out for mistakes and future revisions.**  
Special Thanks/Dedications: **Lyric credits this time go to **Boyce Avenue** for **Dare to Believe**. And a special thanks to Excedrin for being a godsend while I wrote this chapter. Yay for pain killers!

* * *

**:: Chapter Three ::**_  
It's feeling like the time's run out  
But the hour glass  
Just flipped itself over again_

"I am here because you are going to need my help."

The Ravin girl's words rippled through the group, and on a few faces a faint spark of hope appeared. But Atem met the proclamation with narrowed eyes and continued to stare her down as he mentally picked apart the answer he received. But he pushed his doubts aside to press for more, though he didn't bother to hide his suspicion.

"Help how, exactly?"

She met him look for look, opening her mouth to reply. But it was a premature move, given how she paused with her mouth half-open. Certainty drained from her face in a matter of seconds and she slowly closed her mouth and looked off to the side.

"Well?"

The insistence didn't come from Atem, but from Kaiba. The irritation evident in his voice drew a confused glance from a few who wondered what was bothering him so much, while the girl herself just threw a pout in his direction. After a few seconds she slowly turned back, looking more than a touch abashed as she answered Atem.

"Honestly... I have no idea."

Atem presented her with a perfectly confused stare. "What?"

She shrugged, miming a 'what can you do?' "I wasn't told what I should do to help you, although I do have some theories..." She trailed off as her glance straying over to the cavern stairs. "I was just told that I should."

Atem was about to ask a 'by who' when Kaiba gave a snort, earning an actual glare this time from both him and the girl. "Your explanations are pathetic, Ravin. Why don't you just say what you want already and quit wasting our time?"

Ravin's mouth twitched into a line as her body language screamed frustration. "Look, I can't explain it. There just isn't much more to it than I was supposed to come here after the Ceremonial Duel and take him-"

Atem's blood froze in his veins.

"Stop."

His one word order had Ravin complying instantly. The girl fell, but the fury growing in him must have shown in his face, given the look on hers.

"You knew about the duel?"

Her gaze skittered about, never looking up, but she nodded in silent confession.

"And if you were coming to see me, you knew I would still be here..." Atem trailed off, searching for some sign that he was surely wrong. But the gathering nervousness in her face told him otherwise, and his final, true point came out in a thundering tone. "Does that mean you knew _he_ wouldn't be?"

"..."

The silence ate away at him as he waited, his eyes boring into her lowered brow, silently screaming at her to say something! After an eternity, or perhaps only a second, he closed the short distance between them. He heard Anzu protest, but he couldn't even make out what it was. The only thing he was clearly aware of was clawing his hand into the front of the girl's blouse and dragging her up nearly off her feet, forcing her to look at him. The fact that she wouldn't quite meet his eye even then made him want to shake her all the more.

"How could you possibly know that?"

Ravin flinched under his screaming, but when she met his glare. Her dark eyes were shining determinedly. She opened her mouth and let out a noise that could have easily been a start at saying 'I am-', but the sound died halfway out. She gave an odd look, then squeezed her eyes shut in pain. Thinking he'd harmed Atem instantly let go, and yet the suffering look continued to show on her face until she shut her mouth. It took only the time for her to swallow for it to ebb away, but the pain was replaced by a trapped desperation, an expression she threw towards Atem.

Still reeling from how forcibly he had treated her in his rage, Atem was too numb to be the first to react when she finally spoke.

"I can't say."

"What kind of crap is that?" Jounouchi blurted out, looking ready to run over and roughhouse her himself.

But Anzu beat him to the punch, if not literally. Stepping forward, she bowed to Ravin, not noticing with her head down that the other girl flinched at the sight of the dancer and glanced away from her bent from, as if simply _looking_ at her was uncomfortable.

"If you know where Yuugi is, or anything about what happened to him, please tell us! We need to-"

"Mazaki-san, stop." The request was quiet, and when Anzu looked up again her expression and voice were both gentle, as if afraid to distress her further. "I swear, if there was anything I could tell you about him, I would in an instant, but..." She trailed off, and slowly shook her head before practically whispering.

"I'm sorry..."

An awkward silence fell in the valley as Honda stepped forward to place a placating hand on Anzu's shoulder when she started crying from shattered hope. Ravin herself looked unhappy, and had to look away from Anzu's crumbling face. For his part, Atem didn't shed anymore tears, even though he felt his own bitter stab of disappointment. By now the repeated jumps between paralyzing grief and fury had worn him to the bone, and he could barely dredge up enough energy to throw out another question.

"If you aren't here about..." He had to stop, unable to bring himself to mention his partner's name. "-then why are you here?"

Atem was tempted to add on an 'and don't tell me you can't say' to that, but it proved unnecessary. _This_, at least, she had an answer to.

"I came because I need to show you something." Ravin nodded off to her right, down one valley path. "There is an underground, formerly sealed chamber in Luxor that I think might have some answers."

"Underground... What are you speaking of?" It was Ishizu that chimed in now, calmly protesting in confusion. "I have never heard of any such chamber-"

"The tomb keepers were not informed of it." Trying to smooth the wrinkled front of her shirt by hand, the girl either didn't notice Ishizu's incredulous stare, or ignored it as she went on. "It was a... special situation, and even most on the Supreme Council are unaware of it."

This was too much for Ishizu, and her usually regal composure cracked. "What? That is not-"

"Ah, I understand." For the first time since Yuugi managed to dispel all three God Cards during the duel, Kaiba gave a smile. But it was of the 'I know something you don't' sort. Thankfully he didn't keep whatever knowledge he had to himself, leveling a look towards Ishizu as he filled them in.

"She must have had Pegasus help her bribe the government into hiding it - _if_ it exists that is - just like he bought his own way into exploring Egypt as he liked. After all, she _is_ his ward."

"What?" Jounouchi gawked at the CEO before he, and everyone else, turned to Ravin with a new bout of alarm. For her part, the girl looked downright exasperated with Seto's little remarks, and met his glaring look for look until Honda chimed in.

"So, what, that makes you like that guy Tenma-"

"No, Honda-san." She interrupted with a shake of her head. "Pegasus is my guardian, not my mentor. And yes, he did help me hide it." She glanced shortly from Seto to Ishizu, ignoring the shock on their faces as she admitted the truth so easily. "It was the only way I could protect the chamber, and anyone that might try to explore it. That place is..." She trailed off, chewing on her lip. Her tone made it clear that whatever she wasn't mentioning, it wasn't pleasant.

Atem allowed the numerous comments to interrupt his questioning of Ravin, namely because he would have asked a lot of the same things himself. But seeing that Ishizu, Kaiba, and Jounouchi all looked ready to say something else, he jumped in before they could, his words rushed because of it.

"And why do I need to see this place?"

"Well, I'm not certain if anything will happen, but..." Her expression was distant as she spoke, her voice softening in memory. "That chamber is where I learned everything I know about, well, all of you. So you might be able to find some information there yourself." Giving a slight shrug, she settled her attention back on the present. "And if not, it might still be good for you to it."

Silence again fell as everyone waited for Atem's decision. But he focused on Ravin, trying to decide for himself. If what she said were true, it would be wise to see this hidden chamber. Perhaps there he could find some key to the mystery that tortured him - the whereabouts of his partner.

But, that was _if_ he believed her, and there were so many reasons for alarm. Her association with a man that had used the Millennium Items for his own uses and stole the innocent souls just to egg Atem into a duel, the way she hid this mysterious chamber from the tomb keepers set to guard his memories, the fact that Kaiba, the only one here that knew her, clearly didn't trusted her...

She had all but said that she knew Yuugi would disappear, and she allowed it to happen.

Atem openly scrutinized Ravin as he slowly questioned her.

"Why should I come with you, when there are obvious reasons I should doubt what you say?"

She tipped her head to the side in consideration, then posed a question of her own. "I don't have anything to offer save my word, but... If you don't come with me, what will you do?"

Atem was careful to hide his dawning horror as he realized that the girl had a point. If he didn't listen and follow her, there was nothing else he could do. He had no clues to follow, no enemy to fight, his friends could not help, the Millennium Items were lost, the door to the afterlife was closed. Every path he could possibly take had been cut off, save for the uncertain one this girl laid out before him.

If he turned her down there may be no other chance to find Yuugi.

"... Very well."

"Yuugi?" Honda was shocked by the quiet agreement. Letting go of Anzu's arm, he stepped forward as he yelled a protest.

"How can you trust her?"

"I agree." Malik frowned in the direction of the girl ignoring the surreality of him of all people pointing out what he added on. "She might be leading you into a trap."

"Do you have a better idea?" Atem felt guilty when his harsh tone made the two look at him in shock. But it washed away when they went silent, at a loss of what to say. Atem looked everyone else in the eye, giving them a chance to answer in their place, but each one either followed Malik and Honda's helpless example, or returned to glaring at Ravin. A grim satisfaction settled over the pharaoh as he impatiently explained himself.

"This is the only lead we have, and I won't turn it down just because the source is questionable!" He glared at Kaiba when he started to protest, and noticed the man was glowering at the tear stains still on his face. Atem roughly rubbed them away before he turning back to Ravin. There was a touch of hurt in her eyes, clearly born from the way he and the others spoke of her. A surprising amount of illogical regret washed over him, but he ignored it.

"If you want to show me this place, then take me there."

After a diminutive nod and a flash of a forced grin, she turned to address the others as a whole.

"Um, I won't be able to take all of you, but-"

"Like hell!"

Jounouchi rushed forward towering over the much shorter girl as he stepped protectively between her and Atem. Given the look on her face, the sullen pharaoh silently envied Jounouchi's ability to intimidate her in a way he himself seemed incapable of.

"If you think we're going to let you justwaltz off with him alone, you're out of your mind!"

Silence fell, Ravin unable to find her voice. Eventually she swallowed harshly and finished her sentence.

"But... there is room in my car if two people want to come with us..." Things grew decidedly awkward as the tall blond backed off, and Ravin's gaze started jumping about again, mumbling the last part quietly. "It'll take nearly an hour to get there driving, much less on foot..."

"Oh."

"Jounouchi..." Anzu glowered at her friend, clearly thinking he should be apologize. Jounouchi glanced in her direction as embarassment swept over his face. But he quickly recovered and set a stubborn glare on the small girl before him, as if daring her to protest to his words.

"Well, I'm coming then."

"All right."

"Good."

They looked thrown off by the easy agreement, until Ravin turned to the rest and questioned them. "And who will be the fourth?"

Honda and Anzu both looked ready to claim the last spot, but someone else beat them to it.

"I will." Ishizu said as she stepped forward, trying to hide the slight hobble in her walk. "You should have someone there that knows what to look for. If it has some connection to the texts or information on the rituals I have studied, I will recognize-"

"No, sister." Malik came forward and touched Ishizu's elbow, shaking his head. "You hurt yourself leaving the ceremonial chamber, and you need to rest that ankle, not walk around some ruins." He looked reluctant a moment, then stepped up and spoke to Ravin himself. "I will go. I should be of some help if it's needed." After all, he had been raised as a tomp keeper, too, even if he hadn't wanted to become one.

"Okay then." The girl turned back to Atem, and after a few seconds of silence he quirked an eyebrow in question. She just grinned and shook her head, reaching into her jacket pocket to hold up a keyring. "I will be right back."

"Right..." Atem mumbled as she walked around a corner of stone. A surge of panic hit him as Ravin disappeared from sight that he put down to worry that she would not return, taking his chance of finding his partner with her. He was even tempted to follow her, but a light tap on his shoulder distracted him. Turning around, he found Bakura at his side.

"Um, Yuugi-san? I managed to grab this when we left the cavern. I wasn't sure if you wanted it or not..."

The pale haired teen presented him with a tote bag as he spoke, and Atem realized it was Yuugi's duffel – the he'd carried the Millennium Items in. Swallowing back the reaction that threatened to show, Atem nodded his thanks and stiffly accepted the bag and slung it over his own shoulder. It was strange. A part of him was ecstatic to have something of his partner's back and wanted to tear into the duffel to see what was inside. But the other half of him was terrified to see. Not wanting to deal with it just yet, he turned with Bakura to listen to the rest of the group.

"Malik, I'll take everyone back to the boat while we await your return. I'll ask the crew to keep it docked for a few more hours, so tell that girl to drive you to the pier as soon as you're done."

"I will." Malik nodded, patting the hand that his sister placed on his shoulder before turning to Rishid, telling him to make sure Ishizu's ankle was look at once they got to the boat.

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you having lives, but I have a business to run. I don't have time to wait while you figure out if something can or can't be done." Impatience clear in his voice, Kaiba sent a glance in Atem's direction, clearly set on telling him something. But apparently he didn't like the expression on his face, given how he grimaced and glared towards Jounouchi instead.

"Tell Ravin she can expect a call from me about all of this."

"What do I look like, your messenger boy-" Jounouchi practically growled when the CEO turned away before he could finish, walking back the way they had come with Mokuba trailing after him. "That-"

"Let it go, man." Honda shook his head.

"Yes..." Anze glanced in Atem's direction and, seeing him looking at them, attempted an encouraging smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. When she was met with silence, she turned back to Jounouchi and quietly said something to him.

"Of course I'll look after him!" Jounouchi yelled, throwing a grin towards Atem that the pharaoh didn't even bother returning, knowing he'd fail miserably. But the blond sobered quickly and spoke to Anzu with a surprising amount of seriousness. "Just make sure you do the same for Jii-chan while we're gone, you hear?"

Concerned by his request, Atem searched the small group for Sugoroku. His throat tightened when he saw him standing off to the side, staring at the cut off entrance of the ceremonial chamber. It didn't take a genius to know what the elder Mutou was thinking, and Atem didn't think he'd ever seen the elder look so defeated.

He nearly walked over to speak to him when he heard the sound of a motor. A black, open top jeep came around the corner and stopped a few feet away. Jue didn't bother turning off the motor as she called over the engine.

"I don't have a trunk for your bags, but you can stick them under your seats!"

"Thanks!" Jounouchi yelled back. He approached the vehicle and, seeing there were no doors to the back, jumped right over the side and dropped his things down by his feet. Malik followed suit, but went around to open the door and push the passenger seat forward, getting in the back properly.

Atem watched the two settle in the car before turning to those behind him. Honda and Anzu tried to smile, Bakura and Otogi both looked hesitant, and Ishizu and Rishid nodded to him with quiet concern on their faces. The last one he turned to was Sugoroku. A bit of the same pain he felt was reflected in those eyes, prompting him to speak.

"I will return soon."

Receiving a small nod in return, Atem finally approached the jeep himself, settling at Ravin's side in the passenger seat. But he didn't put down his duffel like Jounouchi did. Instead he clutched the blue bag in his lap like it was a lifeline.

"Oh, um... Ravin, was it?" Malik's voice came from behind, his tone questioning as he went on. "My sister said that you should take us back to the pier when we're done. Should this take more than a few hours?"

"Just call me Jeu, Malik-san," she replied as she moved the car into gear and it started to move backwards. As she spoke, Atem looked to his side and watched those left behind grow smaller and then disappear as the jeep followed the curves of the stone valley.

"And no, I don't think this should take too long. I can't say for sure, but if we miss your boat I can always call for another, although I'm not certain it will be... Atem?"

He practically jumped in his seat before turning to the girl. But she had her eyes on the road, so he was left blinking at her profile. She wouldn't have caught him by that much surprise, but that was the first time he'd heard anyone use his true name so casually, and it left him a little dumbstruck. Eventually she peeked at him out of the corner of her eye, a grin quirking at her lips before she focused back on the road.

"You should buckle up. This ride can be pretty bumpy."

* * *

Jeu's warning couldn't have been more of an understatement.

Starting out with annoying twists and turns, the road quickly gave way to jarring bumps and jolts as Jeu merged onto a beaten path that winded down through the Valley of the Kings. Any other time those in the car might have been struck with the wonder of zipping passed tomb after tomb of past rulers, as even in the moving vehicle one could spot the stone steps of a ruin here, or the remains of a temple there. But the situation left them unable to appreciate their surroundings. Atem himself was trying not to think about anything, Jeu's eyes were glued on the shaky road, Malik was reading a motorcycle magazine, and as for Jounouchi-

"Gah, I can't stand it anymore!" The blond yelled and, glancing back, Atem watched Jounouchi tear off his coat, leaving him in his blue tee as he wiped sweat off his brow. "It's so freaking hot out here!"

"Well, it _is_ getting well passed noon." Malik calmly replied as he turned a page in his magazine, understandably not bothered by the climate he'd grown up in. Atem turned back towards the road, quietly noting that he was growing warm himself. But he didn't think it wise to unbuckle to take his own jacket off when he might get bucked out of the jeep in the process.

"Which means it's only going to get worse, right? I'll die of heat stroke before we even get to this place! Gah, and we'll still have to drive back in this blasted-"

Jounouchi went silent as Atem watched Jeu pick up one of the water bottles stowed on the floor and hold it over her shoulder without looking back. When the water wasn't taken from her, she spoke up.

"Don't worry, it's unopened. Although I can't say it will be cold."

"Uh, thanks!" Jounouchi, sounding surprised, leaned between the seats to take the offered bottle. He glanced towards Atem, looking ready to say something, but his eyes dropped down to his friend's lap. Before Atem could ask what he was looking at he had leaned back in his own seat. But after a beat Jounouchi spoke up, opening his water with a quiet 'pop' of the top.

"So, are you going to take that off at some point?"

Confused, Atem looked down and saw that 'that' was his Duel Disk, still attached to his left arm. He had never taken it off. As he slowly released the playing equipment, Jounouchi spoke to Jeu again, curiosity in his voice.

"So... have we met somewhere before?"

"Pardon?" Something in Jeu's tone caught Atem's attention and he paused in the middle of unzipping his duffel. There was nothing to be read in her face save the concentration of a driver.

"You look kind of familiar, somehow. I don't know what it is, but... Were you at Duelist Kingdom or something? Kaiba said you know Pegasus, so-"

"No, I've never been to Pegasus's island before." Jeu gave a very short glance Atem's direction, and he could swear he saw something similar to regret in those eyes before she was forced to look again as the road climbed another hill. "But you might have seen my sister while you were there. Pegasus painted a number of portraits of her, after all."

"Portraits?"

Silence filled the jeep, Atem himself unable to understand Jeu's meaning. As he thought back to Duelist Kingdom his mind was sidetracked by memories of Yuugi, and the first time he was able to truly speak to him. The thoughts made him stare sullenly over the hills for a while, but a sudden yell from Jounouchi had him jumping, Malik kicking the back of his seat, and Jeu's foot sliding on the gas, making the car slow down.

"Oh! You mean that girl Pegasus almost married! What was her name? Celine, Cecel-"

"Cyndia, yes." Jeu gave an exasperated sigh, and threw a weak smile over her shoulder. "She was Pegasus's fiance, but she died before they turned eighteen."

"Oh, so, you're her younger sister... And that's why Pegasus looks out for you?"

"Well, yes, our parents were long dead by then, and he was around a lot when I was little, so..."

Jeu gave a small shrug as an awkward silence fell, and Atem looked away, feeling like he was intruding just witnessing the remains of old grief flashing on her face. Unfortunately, it brought his attention back to his lap and the Duel Disk there, sitting on top of the duffel bag. He was halfway through unzipping it again when his eyes were caught on the card dispenser, still full with his deck. He slowly pulled the cards out, putting the Duel Disk away and dropping the bag to the floor as he glanced at the top card of his deck: Dark Magician. The blue eyes of the monster stared back at him, but Atem's focus was inward, locked in the memory of when he formed the deck in his hand.

_"So you've finished, aibou?"_

_"Mou hitori no boku!" Yuugi stood from his seat, looking at him in pleasant surprise befire understanding flashed over his face. "You were waiting for me to finish my deck, weren't you?"_

_"Yes." Atem returned the smile focused on him. Only gratitude could be seen, as he had spent the last few hours quelching the sad resignation that licked at the edge of his senses . "I cannot see the deck of my opponent, after all."_

_They fell silent, and Atem's smile slipped as he grew serious, his tone dropping with it. "Thank you... for taking on this last challenge for me."_

_His dear partner nodded in answer, his sustained smile not undermining the sincerity of his own words. "I will use everything I have to fight you."_

_Atem gave a hum of assent, knowing the words were true. Whether Yuugi wanted to do this or not, whether _he_ wanted to do this or not, he knew they would both give this duel all they had._

_"Well, now it is your turn to make a deck." Yuugi glanced at the cards still spread over the table, not noticing that Atem didn't look away from the boy's face for a moment. "But let me warn you, I know the weaknesses of your previous decks, and my own is aimed to take advantage of that weakness. If you don't take this seriously, you will be sorry."_

And now he was. While Atem had taken Yuugi _very_ seriously, he had still not been prepared in the end. He had lost with this very deck. The idea made him clench the cards in his grip so hard that he managed to bend all forty of them. Suddenly he was _livid_ this deck had failed him, not because of the defeat itself, but because of what followed his loss. If he had only won, if he had only returned to the puzzle and his partner, he would not have lost Yuugi!

The major holes in his reasoning did not occur to him, too blinded by anger as he focused on the flimsy slips of plastic in his hands. If he would only consider it, he would realize the only difference would be he'd be locked back into the Puzzle, leaving Yuugi's body uninhabited. But his mind clung to the 'what if' he created, where he didn't end up having his heart ripped to shreds. It just kept repeating, if only he had won, if only he hadn't failed!

If only, if only, if only!

He acted on his rage the only way he could think of - he threw his deck over his shoulder. The cards instantly fluttered in all directions, left in the wake of the vehicle.

"What the-?"

Jounouchi's outburst had Malik and Jeu glancing back, and the driver immediately slammed on the brakes. The jeep came to a screeching stop that would have knocked Atem literally through the wind shield, if not for his seatbelt. After bracing himself against the dashboard he turned to, only to find her staring back at him. She looked like someone had just punched her in the gut. Before he could question the meaning he heard Jounouchi getting up.

"Damn it, Yuugi, what did you do that for?" Apparently Jounouchi saw what he did, given the cold glare he gave him. But he didn't wait around for Atem to answer. He threw himself over the side of the jeep and raced off after the cards.

"Leave them, Jounouchi!" Atem snapped, throwing himself out of his seat as fast as he could get off his seat belt and open the door. When he was ignored, Atem grit his teeth and followed after as he spoke in a slow, deep tone that relayed his anger more than any screaming ever could. "What good are they? They didn't help me defeat aibou, and if I had managed to, he wouldn't have-"

"I think he would have disappeared either way, Atem."

The quiet interruption froze the pharaoh in his tracks. He stared at the back of Jeu's head, but she didn't turned around, her eyes still on the desert before her. He slowly approached the car door he'd left open. He didn't sit back down, but simply stared at the girl's profile, watching her stare at her own hands, clutching the wheel.

Hearing that from their small, frustrating guide infuriated Atem more than it could have if anyone else had dared to say it. The girl had not even been there! Gritting his teeth, he stubbornly waited for her to look up. Silence fell, save for the wind and Jounouchi's hurried footsteps. But his anger had already eaten away at his patience, and after a few beats he slammed his hand down on the car door, making the whole vehicle shake and his arm scream from the impact. It had the desired effect though, as Jeu jumped and turned her head to him in shock. Finally meeting her eye, Atem spoke up immediately, feeling dark satisfaction when the girl stiffened as he let loose his frustration on her.

"What do you know about it? You weren't even involved, save for the fact that you had the ability to _stop_ all this from happening, and you didn't!" His voice grew louder the more he spoke. Jeu flinched and looked away with a tortured sort of sorrow, but he pressed on. "Why am I even following or listening to you? No matter what you say or do now, it won't change the fact that he's gone, and not coming back! I can _feel_ he is out of my reach, and I don't need _you_ to show me any tomb or ruin to prove it..."

Slowly Atem's raging gave way to what truly haunted him. Melancholy settled back over his face, and the anger seeped out of his voice. He dropped to his knees, his hand on the car door the only thing holding him upright. Malik, still in the back seat, was unsure what to do, seeing the pharaoh that dueled and fought like it was as natural as breathing so defeated by his own grief. But a soft clip of sound had him glancing over, and then turning fully as he watched Jeu unbuckle herself and get out of the car, softly shutting the driver's door behind her before walking around the jeep.

Atem didn't notice her until he felt the door under his hand dip slightly, as if weighed down. Glancing up, he saw Jeu on the other side of the door. Resting her chin on the arms she folded on the top of door, she kneeled down in the sand. He looked at her warily, but his exhaustion stilled any further remark he might give, leaving them staring sadly at each other. Finally Jeu spoke up, her voice so quiet that Malik, still inside the jeep, couldn't make out her words.

"It's true, Atem, I knew what was going to happen after your duel." Jeu allowed the admission to hang in the air, but as Atem's rage threatened to reawaken she pushed on. "I was aware of everything that happened to you long before it occurred. The night the puzzle was solved, Death-T, Pegasus..." Jeu cut herself off as she named her guardian, guilt screaming across her face as she glanced at a suddenly uncomfortable Malik. "Battle City, Noah Kaiba, Orichalcos-" Jeu paused again when Atem suddenly looked away. He still felt shame at any mention of that fiasco, and the reminder of how his actions during that time had almost cost him his partner. The memory held even more sting, now that he had lost him for a second time.

A light pressure on the back of his hand pulled him from his thoughts. Jeu had unfolded her arms and touched him, and the contact silenced his mind, leaving a confusing sort of calm. She waited until he looked at her before speaking again.

"I knew it would happen, and I let it happen, because I had to." Her voice was pleading, asking for some forgiveness or patience that Atem found himself hard-pressed to give. But he paid attention to her all the same, not noticing that Jounouchi step up behind him, or Malik leaning halfway into the front seat to get close enough to hear.

"I know that sounds like a stupid reason, but I'm giving it because it's the only one I can. There's a lot of things I'd like to tell to you that I can't." Jeu's gaze shot up to meet his, the intensity behind the dark eyes matching the sudden fervor in her tone. "But I _can_ say that the moment you emerged from your tomb alone was when I _could_ start helping you. And I might not know how to do that, and I may be flying blind with all this, but-" She suddenly beamed at him, the surprising optimism in her face catching him off guard. "Why would I have been asked to help you now, if that help could do no good?"

Atem stared back at her with frantic longing for the speck of hope she offered him. But he could only hold her hopeful gaze for so long before ducking his head, looking down so no one would see his face. He managed to swallow back the urge to let loose of his emotions again. As he waited for his shaky composure to return, he felt a hard tap on the back of his shoulder. Glancing back, his reformed deck was stuffed roughly under his nose, the Winged Dragon of Ra on top with grains of sand stuck to its surface. Atem was slow about it, but eventually accepted the cards from Jounouchi, shame at his actions making him avoid his friend's gaze as he dusted off the card.

"Don't you dare pull something like that again, Yuugi."

Jounouchi's warning was surprisingly calm given his initial outburst, but Atem assumed he had been comforted by Jeu's words, too. Using the door he still leaned on for support, he stood up. He could feel all three staring at him, but he just kept looking at his deck, leaving them waiting for some queue on what to do now.

His mind flashed back to the duel he had won the golden dragon in as he inspected the card. His partner's soul had been on the line then, too. And after his pathetic duel with Rafael, when he _did_ fail Yuugi, he had thought there was no chance he would see him again, just like now. But in the end, he got him back. And when he was caught in the world of his memories, or rather Zorc's version of his memories, it was _aibou_ that managed to find _him_. Time and time again fate had tried to tear them apart, but each time they had overcome the attempt and been reunited. This time felt so much worse, and considering it was laughable, but perhaps... _Perhaps_ there was something to what Jeu said. Maybe it was just once more Atem's turn to find Yuugi.

"Jeu?"

"Y-Yes?"

Atem glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, scrutinizing her before turning and slipping back into the passenger seat in one fluid move. He put his hand on the open door right by where hers rested, saying one short command as he pulled the door out of her grip.

"Drive."

He didn't look any of them when he spoke, but he could practically hear the three smile.

"Right."

A minute later saw all four back inside the jeep the vehicle speeding over the barely visible road in the sand. Eventually the silence was broken by a curious Jounouchi, and Atem vaguely listened as he cleaned off his cards.

"So, Jeu... Why does Kaiba hate your guts so much?"

"Ah." Jeu already sounded exasperated. "I was with Pegasus when Kaiba-kun came to discuss creating the Duel Rings over two years ago, and Pegasus taunted him about my skill in chess to get under his skin and... Well, I beat him in a match, and he's never quite forgiven me for it."

Jounouchi let out a loud snort, sounding thoroughly amused. "Let me guess, he's been bugging you for rematches ever since?"

"In fact, he _has_, and I think the fact I keep refusing is only making it worse... He doesn't take losing very well, does he?"

Laughter was the only answer she got.

* * *

Thirty-five of his cards had been recovered, including his pair of Dark Magicians and the three God Cards. It was actually quite astounding, and while he couldn't get passed his pride or shame enough to voice it, Atem was grateful to Jounouchi for working so hard to collect them. But then, he _was_ the one that had jumped off a boat to try to save the Exodia cards, so perhaps Atem shouldn't be so shocked.

No one had spoken for a while, but the silence was not as tense as the one when they'd first taken off, or after Jounouchi stumbled across the subject of Jeu's dead family. Jeu even turned on some music after a while, letting a song play softly over the wind and motor, the English words unclear to Atem. But it didn't matter, his attention was on counting and checking his cards, silently apologizing to them for taking out his grief out on them. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't even notice when the jeep pulled off the dirt road to merge into traffic as they went onto a bridge, crossing the Nile itself.

But eventually the car stopped near the top of yet another hill and Jeu turned off the music. Atem was struck dumb by how he wasn't left staring at an empty landscape of sand, but a large, bustling city. At first he didn't understand where they were, but he followed Jeu's solemn gaze down towards the left edge of the city. Shocked further, he realized that this civilization had built itself around still standing remains of the past. There were broken, collapsing ruins of temples with modern roads and buildings completely surrounding them.

A part of him said not to look for it, but his mauve gaze scanned each ancient site he could find, finally pausing on the largest one he could see. His stomach bottomed out as he picked out the tall columns, walls, and obelisks of his former palace. A part of him distantly wondered if it would have been easier to handle if it hadn't still been so intact... So recognizable.

A soft sigh caught his attention and he numbly turned to Jeu, finding her staring back at him sadly. Malik and Jounouchi were both gawking at the ruins of the palace too, the former in awe and the latter seeming a touch sick like himself, as if he felt the same unpleasant deja vu as Atem. Jounouchi had been among those to see the place in its full glory, if only through an illusion.

The car started down the hill and Atem attempted to ignore the irony of the situation. He found it hard to push away his bitterness as they slowly approached the city, and what remained of the place he had spent his life, three thousand years ago.

This wasn't the way he had expected to come home.

_We're gonna lose everything  
If we believe all the lies  
You may fall but I know  
That you'll help me believe_


	4. Chapter Four

**Title:** Gambling With Destiny**  
Chapter: **4 out of 36**  
Author:** Phoebe Delos**  
Fandom:** Yu-Gi-Oh! DM**  
Characters & Shipping: **Atem, Jeu, Jounouchi, Malik, & Surprise Character. Some **Puzzleshipping**.**  
Story Summary:** The duel should have ended the story. But the vessel was taken in place of the spirit. The game is set. A wager between gods leaves the Pharaoh racing against time to defeat a forgotten enemy, running blind to solve the riddle of Yuugi's fate. But what Atem learns will leave him questioning his past, his destiny, and his connection to the boy at the center of it all. If Atem cannot see the truth, all is lost. The clock is ticking.**  
Story Rating: M**ature for **Language**, **Violence**, Potential **Sexual Situations**, & Sporadic **Dark Tones**.**  
Chapter Summary:** The group takes a nice, long time reaching the site, and then are shocked at what they find.**  
Chapter Warnings:** **K+ **for **Language.  
Word Count:** 5,221**  
Spoilers: **The end of the series, including a certain spirit's real name. Expect some mixing of anime and manga facts.**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, because if I did, there'd be no such thing as the card ban list. Why make cards just to tell us we can't use them, huh?**  
Notes:** I have discovered the biggest, on topic, semi-productive way I could procrastinate on writing a chapter: pre-planning the characters' DM decks. But, now that I've kicked my own butt and written the 'long walk' chapter that this is, hopefully it's come out all right. Designing the merged reality of Atem's palace and the actual Luxor Temple was interesting, to say the least.**  
Special Thanks/Dedications: **Big thanks to YuGiOh! episode 201 since I was referring to it a lot for describing the palace, and music credits go to **Coldplay **for **Viva la Vida**.

* * *

**:: Chapter Four ::**_  
One minute I held the key  
__Next the walls were closed on me  
And I discovered that my castles stand  
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand_

"Hey, watch where you're going, man!"

"Jounouchi-san, please stop it."

"Don't use 'san' for me, Jeu. That's way too- _Hey, try and give me the finger again, you ass-!_"

"Jounouchi!"

The blond huffed as Malik yelled and pulled him down by the back of his shirt. He'd been standing up in the car to yell at a guy that nearly ran into Jeu's jeep because he was talking on a cellphone. And then the jerk had the nerve to _honk _at _them_! Still seething, Jounouchi ignored the exasperated glower Malik was giving him and put his hands on the back of Jeu's seat.

"Seriously though, does everyone drive like that around here? How do you put up with it, much less _survive_?"

"You get used to it."

The jeep slowed to a stop at a red light, and feeling eyes boring into him, Atem tore his eyes away from the skyline to look at Jeu. She was staring right back at him, concern and pain hinted at in the gaze.

"...what's wrong?"

"Ah, nothing!" Jeu jumped at the question, but shook her head and grinned in a far too convincing manner, given her previous expression. Atem sighed to himself and returned to watching the streets, catching glimpses of the palace in between the buildings. This was become a reoccurring theme, Jeu looking at him for no clear reason, then brushing it off when he mentioned it.

"So... what's this city called, again?"

Atem flinched at Jounouchi's question. He didn't feel like giving a history lesson on his home while fighting back the pain of seeing how much it had changed in his absence. He knew how much time had passed since his living days. Half the reason he had accepted he needed to move on to the afterlife - whatever he personally felt - was this world was so far removed from the one he once knew. But to have physical, tangible proof of it thrust in front of him was hard to swallow.

Either way, Malik saw to Jounouchi's curiosity, for which Atem silently thanked him.

"It's named Luxor now, but this area used to be known as Thebes, and before that _Niwt-Imn_, 'The City of Amun'."

"Okay... and who is Amun supposed to be?"

"The hidden divinity of Ra..." Atem mumbled to himself, barely conscious of saying anything, and then left wondering what his own words meant. While he had been made aware of his past self by the memory game, the details were missing. Only the last fews days of his life were known to him. Everything else was covered in a fog, and an understanding of the gods he once worshiped remain one of many holes in his memory. All he had were vague inklings and untapped knowledge.

A couple stop lights later they parked along the road just across from the ruin's complex. In Atem's mind, he could clearly see a pair of obelisks and pylon towers that marked the entrance to his palace. But even from this distance he could see the silhouette of only one obelisk before the pylons. He couldn't make out any details of the structure beyond, but he could tell there were gaping holes in the silhouette he once knew, and "new" buildings he didn't recognize at all.

Jeu turned off the jeep, but Atem remained frozen by the sight before him. A good minute passed without anyone moving, waiting for him to make the first move. Eventually got out of the car, pulling her seat forward once out so Jounouchi, who actually waited this time, could get out. Malik scooted over to the driver's side as well, so as not to disturb the still sitting Atem. The once pharaoh gathered himself together to deal with the task before him.

_Aibou, give me courage..._

Swallowing hard, he slid himself out of the vehicle, carrying Yuugi's duffel bag with him. Jeu was busy with something in the car and Malik was staring in awe at the large ruins, but Jounouchi looked at him with a question in his eyes, as if asking if he really wanted to do this or not- if he was alright. Obviously, he _wasn't_, but voicing his pains wouldn't help anything, so Atem just threw him a sorry excuse for a smile. His friend accepted the effort with a grin of his own and a thumbs up.

"Well, here we go." Jeu sounded reluctant as she tugged a black backpack off the back seat floorboard. Pulling it on, she passed by the trio and led them across the street, ignoring a couple impatient honks from stalled cars. A security building was on the other side of the road, and one of the men standing in front of it put up a hand in a halting gesture and said something in stern Arabic. Jeu stepped forward and replied in the same language, pulling out a card and offering it to the man. As the guard looked over the identification, Malik spoke up, sounding as shocked as Atem himself felt.

"You speak Arabic?"

Jeu looked back at him in similar surprise, but after a beat an amused grin pulled at her lips. It wasn't until she got back her card - offered with a bow and quiet word from the guard - that she answered the question.

"I should hope so. I've lived here for over five years." Atem was left more flabbergasted by her answer, and when Jeu saw his expression, along with Malik's and Jounouchi's, she grinned. She waved off to their left, in the direction of the Nile. When they followed the gesture, she pointed across the roofs of the buildings.

"You see that tall, beige building there, beside that wider white one? That's my apartment complex."

Atem did a double take as Jeu pocketed her card. That she lived so close to the remains of his home was a shock, yet he knew it shouldn't be. She likely settled close to the site on purpose, although he wasn't sure _why_. But his theory was all but proven when she met the question in his gaze with another twitch of the lips and wordlessly passed the security station. After one last glance at the riverside building Atem turned to follow suit, barely catching Malik rush passed him to catch up with their guide.

"Jeu-san?"

"Hmm?" The girl hummed curiously, not slowing her pace.

"That guard said the council ordered the palace closed for the day so workers could try and preserve a wall that recently crumbled. Why did he allow us through when you just showed him your license?"

Jeu breathed a noise of understanding before answering, not noticing Atem glance at her as Malik indirectly translated what the man at the post had said. 'Closed?'

"I have a friend on the council that listed my name for special authorization. I can visit certain areas at night or on holidays, or in situations like this. And, if it isn't obvious, there's no wall that needs fixing."

"O-_kay_, that's it." Jounouchi rushed forward and cut off Jeu's path, glaring down at her suspiciously as they stopped. "How the hell do you have all this power, huh? I may be new to this country, but even I can tell it's not normal for someone to be able to waltz into places like this. Do you have the whole government wrapped around your finger or something?"

"Of course not!" Going by Jeu's discomfort, Atem thought Jounouchi might not be wrong. She tried to sidestep Jounouchi and keep walking, but he only blocked her path again. By this point Atem had caught up and could see that she was not happy with being pushed like this. She even glanced at him as if for help, but he just stared right back at her. He was getting tired of the mystery surrounding this girl, and having one or two questions answered suited him perfectly.

"...Fine." Landing her eyes back on Jounouchi, she held up a pale hand with her pointer and middle finger extended, sounding rather patient, a frown stamped on her face.

"There are two reasons I'm allowed open admission to these sites. One, I can read and speak Late Egyptian fluently, thanks to studying like you wouldn't believe, so the council likes to use me for quick translating. Two, you know Pegasus based Duel Monsters on Egyptian tablets, right?" Atem's breath caught in his throat as she said that, shocked at the knowledge her question revealed. But she didn't notice, going on speaking to a baffled Jounouchi. "Well, he's been working on more cards, and he asked the council to allow me to investigate for any tablets or depictions that he could use for inspiration. Okay?"

Jounouchi slowly nodded, even though he looked more confused than ever. Jeu walked on around him, and Atem watched the short girl continue on as he remained frozen in thought. Kaiba, Pegasus, Ishizu's council, she was connect to so many around him. How he could have never seen or at least _heard _of her until today?

The only answer was she had been actively hiding from him.

But whatever his suspicions, Atem falling behind, and he jogged forward until he was a step behind Malik. Yuugi's duffel bounced off his hip as he moved, giving him a constant reminder of why he was voluntarily walking into this architectural tomb. The quartet fell silent, and Atem wished someone would speak up, talk of something mundane. Anything would be a blessed distraction from the urge to inspect his surroundings. As such, Atem breathed a sigh of relief when Jounouchi finally dared to voice what was on his mind, hesitant excitement in his voice.

"Pegasus is making new cards, huh?"

* * *

The rest of the walk was uneventful. Atem was careful to keep his eyes fixed on the backs of the three with him. Thus he would not notice a memorable building missing here or a grand statue in pieces there. The only thing he was forced to notice was Jounouchi's remark when they entered the palace proper. As they passed through the pylon gate he gave a loud laugh that made him, the guide, and tombkeeper swing about face.

"Ha, sorry guys!" Jounouchi waved with a sheepish grin. He walked between the pylons, staring back at where three thousand years ago a lofty door would have blocked his path. "I was just remembering when I tried to walk through here the first time. It didn't work out so well."

Atem assumed he meant something that happened in the memory world he'd never heard about. He kept on walking, passing a confused Malik and amused Jeu. But before long the girl was back in front, leading them towards their now obvious destination.

With every step it grew harder to ignore the empty weight in his gut as they drew closer and closer to the center. He wasn't sure which was worse - noticing landmarks that were long gone, like a garden that was nothing but stone rubble, or the things that looked nearly as they did in his memories. One of the long, rectangular lakes he remembered was still intact, lotus blossoms and all.

He was glancing at the floating plants when he realized Jounouchi had gone silent. His prying for card information was no longer drifting over his head. He followed Jounouchi's gaze to see whatever silenced the teen.

Suddenly 'well preserved' seemed so much worse.

The palace remained, the structure itself still standing. But it was a sad sight to behold. Many pillars were missing and a corner of the roof had eroded and chipped away into a round edge. The balcony he had once stood at to overlook his city had half-collapsed. And right under the slipping balcony was a large, gaping hole that gave a peak at the shadowed interior.

Atem swallowed the lump in his throat, steeling himself to face whatever lay inside. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he turned to be greeted by a determined Jounouchi, a concerned Malik on his other side. Giving a nod to both, looked turned to Jeu, expecting her to lead the way through the front doors.

But she was already walking away, and _around_ the palace, not into it.

"Where are you going?"

She nodded to the large archway of a front door before continuing on her way.

"The roof caved in a few years back. We'll have to use one of the servants' entrances."

Thrown off by this information, Atem trailed behind the others around the building. As they rounded the corner he glanced in the direction of where the Houses of Tablets once were, and saw none of the pyramid-shaped buildings remained. The courtyard they had been in was completely decimated, filled with debris and deep pits showing where people had been searching the grounds.

Atem was tempted to ask Jeu what they were doing digging up that area, if not out of anger for the disturbance of the ground than at least out of concern of what they might unknowingly stumble across. But the issue was swept from his mind when they approached the small side entrance of the titanic building. The first room was small and unadorned of any engravings. Atem felt an odd sense of familiarity as he stepped into the nondescript space, even though he had no recollection of this part of the palace. There were no markers of it, he knew that this had once doubled as a storage room.

"Uh, what are we supposed to do now?"

Hearing Jounouchi, Atem followed him through the room's only door and found himself in a long, well preserved hallway. It was lit only by the faint light at his own back, leaving them in near darkness. He had to squint to make out Jounouchi's form farther down the hall, and was about to follow when he felt something being thrust into his hands. His surprise made him drop whatever it was, a heavy 'thump' coming from near his foot.

He heard a sigh before Jeu spoke in the dark. "I sure hope you didn't break that. I've only got three of them."

A second later came a soft click, and a ray of light was pointing down, showing a flashlight beside his foot.

"Sorry," Atem grumbled, reaching down to pick it up.

"It's fine. I must have surprised you, ri-"

While inspecting it, Atem accidentally shined his light in Jeu's face. He quickly lowered it and looked away in embarassment of his own slips, mumbling another apology to the squinting girl.

"Perhaps someone else should handle this..."

"Don't worry about it. A little light isn't going to kill me."

Quickly recovered, Jeu handed a third flashlight over to Malik and led the way down the curving hall. Atem thought it wasn't more than a couple minutes before they rounded a corner and ended up in another large space where stones were scattered across the ground. Here the roof was missing, allowing them to turn off their lights as the midday sun shined down on them. Immediately Jeu stepped away from the group, inspecting the walls around them. Finally overcome by the heat, Atem took advantage of the small break to take off his jacket, leaving him in the sleeveless black shirt beneath.

He folded the blue coat before putting it and the unneeded flashlight in the duffel bag. That done with, Atem glanced around to see where they had ended up for himself. He assumed they were back in the entrance hall, but he soon realized this space was opened by the collapse of the above floor. The sight at the southern end of the room made his stomick flip. On a small bit of the broken upper floor remained a flight of stairs, leading up to what looked like a broken pedestal of sorts. But _he_ recognized it for what it was - a throne missing its back and one arm.

The collapsed space above had been his throne room.

_Thump!_

Dropping his gaze back down, Atem glanced numbly at those around him, trying to place where that sound came from. Jounouchi looked as confused as he climbed off a large slab of stone he'd been sitting on to look around while Malik was staring at Jeu like she had two heads. Atem didn't understand why, since the girl was just inspecting the pillars that lined what was once the second floor. Suddenly she sidestepped to the left and slammed her heel down on the old stone tiles.

_Thump!_

Atem's eyes widened as the small blond pouted at the ground like it was frustrating her. As he struggled to react she turned and walked three steps towards the broken throne, then repeated the action.

_Thump!_

"Jeu, what are you doing?"

Atem glared at her back, ready to stop her however was necessary before she damaged the floor more than it already was. She might bring the roof down on them! Just as he touched her arm she brought down her heel again. A very odd, hollow noise rang out. The sound left Atem with his hand only loosely on her arm, gawking down at the large tile under their feet. Looking up, he found a triumphant grin pasted on Jeu's face.

"Found it!"

"Found what?"

Jeu tugged him off the tile without answering, then shrugged her pack off as Malik and Jounouchi joined them.

"Jeu-san, what was that? It sounded almost like-"

Malik let out a grunt as Jeu dropped her bag in his arms, making him shuffle it along with his flashlight.

"Sorry, could you hold this for me?" Jeu asked and knelt down, feeling along the stone tile.

It looked the same as any other in the room. But Jeu slipped her hand through a thin crack on its edge and pulled up, revealing that this tile was thinner than any normal slab of concrete. And beneath lay a deep, open space, which Atem stared into as he mumbled.

"...how did you know that was there?"

"I fell down there and got trapped, when the original tile that was here broke under my feet." She knocked on the removed stone section, then stood up and took her bag from Malik. He didn't lift his wary gaze from the revealed path. "But replacing the stone with a new, proper tile would have made it impossible to get back in, so I had this special one installed."

"Uh-huh, that's all well and good, but how are we supposed to get down there?" Jounouchi leaned precariously over the hole that was just big enough for a grown person. Atem reached up and tugged Jounouchi back by the arm, not keen on seeing him fall in headfirst and break his neck.

"We jump, of course." Before Atem could process what she said Jeu shrugged her bag back on and stepped straight into the hole, disappearing from sight.

"W-wha?"

"Jeu-san?"

"_Jeu!_"

Atem crouched down at the edge, his heart hiccuping in his chest. A light flashed on and the space below lit up, showing that the drop was no more than six or seven feet. Jeu's head wasn't more than a foot or so below his knee, and it turned up to show the girl frowning in confusion.

"What?"

Atem glowered down at her as Jounouchi heaved a sigh behind him and yelled.

"Damn it, Jeu, don't scare us like that!"

"Ah... Sorry." She looked off to the side. Atem couldn't see it in her turned away face, but he assumed she was embarrassed. Shaking his own head, he grabbed the strap of his duffel and slid off the edge himself, joining Jeu below ground. Once he regained his balance he looked pointedly at her and recieved a sheepish grin in return before her already large eyes bugged out at something over his shoulder. Before he could turn around she let out a strangled squawk and grabbed his hand, tugging him out of the way just a moment before Jounouchi landed where he had been standing.

"Gah, it's even darker down here..." In the dim light Jounouchi didn't notice the exasperated glare Atem sent his way as Malik jumped down, too. Once they were all below he spoke again, and it took Atem a second to realize he was speaking to Jeu.

"But, how did you get stuck down here? I could pull myself back out by just stretching, so if you jumped-"

"Well I _was_ barely four feet tall at the time."

Atem assumed she was giving one of her shrugs, but he couldn't see since neither her nor Malik's flashlight was pointed in her direction. He pulled his own source of light out of his bag and turned it back on, pointing it in the only direction they could go from here.

When he turned his light down the hidden hallway the dark floor flashed back at him, giving off multiple hazy reflections. At first he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him because the narrow hall was so dark. But soon Jeu and Malik's lights helped brighten the narrow path enough that he could see perfectly. The surface of the ceiling, ground, and walls were all black mirrors.

"What... What is that?"

"Is this place made of obsidian?" Malik's question sounded distracted, like he was focusing on reading some of the hieroglyphics on the wall, though his own reflection got in the way.

"It seems to be, although it must have been reinforced somehow." Jeu moved to walk down the hall, but Jounouchi caught her by the shoulder before she could take a step. Looking back, she gave a grin at Jounouchi's expression. Atem couldn't see it, but he assumed he was looking at her the same way he was - like what she had said made as much sense as Greek.

"Obsidian is a black stone that acts like a mirror, but it's normally too breakable to use in the manner it is here. Anyways, we still have a ways to go."

She waved for them to follow with her flashlight, making a streak of light bounce off the walls. And, again they were off Jounouchi rushing to keep up with Jeu while Malik struggled to pry himself away from reading the walls. But Atem hesitated, his attention distracted by a chill filling his bones. It wasn't that he was afraid to move on - the feeling came from his surroundings, not himself. Atem had to fight back shivers in the scorching heat. He would almost guess someone had played a shadow game here recently. The familiar destructive magic lingered within these walls, blakening his senses.

Steeling himself to ignore the growing alarm that tickled his senses with every step, Atem trailed behind the others down the long, straight hall that slowly sloped into a stairway. He could tell the others sensed _something _was wrong, because Malik glanced tensely over his shoulder every now and then, like something creeping up on him, and Jounouchi would stall and stare at the wall, as if he'd seen an out of place reflection. By that point Atem's hair was standing practically on end. He was so caught up in looking for anything out of the ordinary that Atem was the last to notice they had come to the end of the hallway. But he couldn't possibly miss the strangled gasp Jounouchi gave, the sudden stop making Malik run into his back.

"Jounouchi, what's-" Malik fell silent when he sidestepped the blond, completely blocking Atem's view. Concerned that what shocked them might be dangerous, he rushed down the last steps and quickly pushed Jounouchi out of the way, making him stumble backwards. Jounouchi shockingly gave no protest, but he quickly understood why when he got passed him. His wine-colored eyes went wide at the sight, barely comprehending what the two beside him said.

"Y-Yuugi, this is..."

"...the ceremonial chamber?"

Atem couldn't answer, too caught up in a sick deja vu as he stared into a macabre copy of the room that had collapsed just hours ago. From the blank walls and carved pillars to the distant, shadowed stage, every single detail was the same - save it was all in shimmering black.

Despite his shock, Atem quickly recovered as the memory of his partner disappearing in this room's twin came roaring back in technicolor. He shot off across the chamber as wild hope coursed through him, ignoring Jounouchi yelling his name. He dropped the heavy duffel when it slowed him down, trying to keep his flashlight steady on the other side of the room. But confusion and then crushing disappointment fell over him in drowning waves as he came closer, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. There was the stone framework of a door beyond the pedestal, the eyes of Horus bookmarking the silhouette of the puzzle engraved upon the upper beam. But there was no split eye in the center, no crack of an opening going down the middle. There wasn't even a single carving within the frame.

No gate, no door, nothing.

He walked mechanically up the small stairway, bypassing the tablet double without looking at it as he approached the empty wall. His hand came up to touch the black surface, finding it cool and smooth as glass. But it was just as unyielding as the stone door he pounded on, and the only thing he felt when he reached out with his senses was that same lingering darkness, the byproduct of strong, evil magic. He heard a soft 'thump' and turned just enough to see the duffel dropped at his foot, Jeu standing up straight on the other side. She offered no smile or words of comfort, too distracted with staring at the wall with her own haunted expression. But her presence alone helped bring him back to reality enough to hear Malik.

"What is this? It's different from the original."

Atem turned to look at whatever had Malik confused but stepped on something first. Turning his light down with a flick of the wrist, he found broken stone under his foot, many other shards spread across the ground. It wouldn't have seemed odd if they were still up in the palace, but he hadn't seen any sign of aging in this chamber. Plus the pieces were light beige, and everything else here was black. Bending down, Atem picked up the piece he'd stepped on, inspecting it under his light. There was something very familiar about this stone, but he couldn't place it.

"Pharaoh, what do you make of this?"

Glancing up, Atem saw his fellow Egyptian was pointing down at the tablet between them. Looking at it properly for the first time, he realized the Millennium Stone's copy was not made of the brown, cracked stone he remembered, but of a deep blue stone flecked with white specks across its surface.

"I know this, it's..." Atem stepped closer to the stone tablet as he tried to remember, but he couldn't put a name to the stone. Glancing searchingly to Jeu, she nodded to him, though her melancholy showed no sign of dispelling.

"It's lapis lazuli, a type of stone thought to amplify awareness, or magic."

A pang of alarm shot through him and Atem swung around to face her.

"Then this tablet would make the Items' power even stronger?"

"What? Oh, no!" Jeu shook her head rapidly, finally coming out of whatever dark daze she'd fallen into. She threw one glance at the blank black wall behind her before jumping away from it, clearing her throat as she walked quickly over to the stone tablet. Atem was confused by her odd behavior, but was more interested in what she had to say.

"I _think _it's supposed to subdue the dark power of the Items, not strengthen it. Lapis lazuli strengthens, yes, but it also _purifies_. In fact..." She gave a wary glance about the room, half-mumbling to herself. "Obsidian is also a protective charm. For someone to go to all this trouble, I can only assume this place is meant to contain evil."

"Uh, okay, I get the 'warding off evil' thing and all," Jounouchi said as he stepped up onto the stage with frustration on his face. "But why does this place look just like the cavern Yuugi dueled in?"

"I'm not sure. I imagine one room was modeled after the other, but as to why..." She shrugged before pointing at the nearest pillar to her left, hieroglyphics covering every inch of its surface. "All I know is that it says there that this place was 'designed by the Gods' themselves."

Atem's attention turned to Malik as he gawked at Jeu, his gaze distant while he quietly mumbled. "The chamber created to house... I think I know this place!" He looked around with such sudden foreboding that Atem was instantly alert, waiting with baited breath for him to explain.

"When I was training to be a tomb keeper I read everything available on the Phar- You," he corrected himself with a glance at Atem. He stared at the pillars as he mumbled, clearly trying to recite something half-forgotten. "'On the night the Nameless Pharaoh inherited the crown a great, unspeakable evil came down from the heavens to devour his soul...' I don't remember all of it, but it was pretty much that you managed to bind that evil, and ordered that it be sealed away in a chamber created by the gods, so that it would never be unleashed again.'"

Atem stared numbly at Malik, surprised by the tale and how he had no memory of it. Jounouchi was more scoffing, but he was covering fear if his jumpy behavior was anything to go by.

"That might have been something to mention _earlier_, don't you think?"

"I didn't realize a story I read as a kid of some ancient evil was going to be important today, Jounouchi."

Atem ignored the bickering, though Jeu focused a shocked stare at Malik until he spoke to her.

"Were you aware of what is sealed here?"

Her dark eyes flicked over to his own, but the criticizing look she must have found there made her duck her head, shrugging slightly as she covered her anxiety with a thin layer of calm.

"I was sort of aware of it, but the inscriptions are vague about what it is, so-"

A spark of anger shot through him as Atem approached her, making Jeu step subconsciously back before she steeled her stance, refusing to drop her uncertain gaze from his.

"You _knew_ a dangerous entity of some sort is here, and you still led us down-"

"She knew it was safe, because what was housed here broke free over seventeen years ago, Pharaoh."

Atem froze at the answer that came from behind him. The voice was familiar, but it wasn't Malik nor Jounouchi. His best friend gave out a strangled shout as he slowly turned around, ant Atem couldn't blame him when he saw the transparent form of Shadi hovering at the bottom of the stairs. Empty blue eyes gazed back at him, his voice flat as he spoke again.

"And Jeu Ravin thought you would take the risk, as that entity is the one responsible for the disappearance of Yuugi Mutou."

_For some reason I can't explain  
Once you were gone there was never  
Never an honest word  
And that was when I ruled the world_


	5. Chapter Five

**Title:** Gambling With Destiny**  
Chapter: **5 out of 36**  
Author:** Phoebe Delos**  
Fandom:** Yu-Gi-Oh! DM**  
Characters & Shipping: **Atem, Shadi, Jounouchi, Malik, & Jeu. Touches of **Puzzleshipping  
Story Summary:** The duel should have ended the story. But the vessel was taken in place of the spirit. The game is set. A wager between gods leaves the Pharaoh racing against time to defeat a forgotten enemy, running blind to solve the riddle of Yuugi's fate. But what Atem learns will leave him questioning his past, his destiny, and his connection to the boy at the center of it all. If Atem cannot see the truth, all is lost. The clock is ticking.  
**Story Rating: M**ature for **Language**, **Violence**, Potential **Sexual Situations**, & Sporadic **Dark Tones**.**  
Chapter Summary:** Confusing answers and shocking revelations all around.**  
Chapter Warnings:** **K+ **for **Language** & Slight **Dark Tones**.**  
Word Count:** 3,285**  
Spoilers: **The end of the series. That includes a certain spirit's real name. Expect some mixing of anime and manga facts.**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! ... Yep, I ran out of cute ways to say it.**  
Notes:** Okay, just a warning now, there's _lots_ of chatting and info thrown at you in this chapter. This is pretty much the GwD equivalent of Ishizu's museum chats with Seto and Yuugi- I mean Atem during Battle City.**  
Special Thanks/Dedications: **Song credits go to **Coldplay **for **The Scientist**.

* * *

**:: Chapter Five ::  
**_Tell me your secrets ask me your questions  
Oh, let's go back to the start__  
Running in circles, coming up tails  
Heads on a science apart_

"And Jeu Ravin thought you would take the risk, as that entity is the one responsible for the disappearance of Yuugi Mutou."

Suffocating silence fell as all four teenagers took in the transparent form hovering just steps away. But his words shook them more than his arrival or appearance, and after a beat of disbelief Atem let out a deep roar of a yell filled with equal parts horror and rage.

"What?"

Shadi didn't even flinch at his yell. This did nothing to calm Atem, but Jounouchi voiced his own baffled question first.

"Yuugi was swiped by a _demon_?"

The question sounded so ludicrous, like the foolish worry of an ignorant child. But the silly idea was apparently _true_.

"He isn't a de-"

"Where is he?" Atem interrupted the ghost, stalking over and standing just before him, waiting for an answer, a reply, _something_. But he recieved only apathetic silence. Unable to take it, he reached for the front of the Egyptian's robes, only for the material to slip through his grasp like wind, never touched. He lowered his hand, thrown off by how Shadi didn't just _look_ like a ghost. But didn't last, desperation nipping at his senses. If Shadi disappeared or left without explaining himself, what would he do?

"What happened to him?"

"I can't say."

Atem gawked at him, not knowing how to respond to the refusal. But Jounouchi spoke up from behind him, bitter sarcasm dripping from his voice.

"Gee, why does _that_ sound familiar?"

He didn't know what he meant, and didn't care enough to turn and se, but Jeu's mumbling told him who Jounouchi was glaring at as he said it.

"That's not-"

Atem cut off her protest, turning the attention back on Shadi. He couldn't let this chance go by, whether the ghost wanted to help him or not.

"What do you mean you can't say? Are you trying to hinder me in finding-"

"You misunderstand," the man focused on the black wall behind them, as if trying to read something there. "I simply cannot become any further involved than I am allowed."

"Become involved? What are you talking about?"

"Pharaoh, I am here to relay a message to you from the Gods."

To his credit Atem kept his jaw from dropping and just stared at Shadi like he had an extra head. But Jounouchi _did_ react in that loose jawed manner, while Jeu gave a choked gasp. But Malik found his voice first and stuttered a reply.

"Th-the _Gods_? You mean-" Malik trailed off, and his question hung in the air. Was Shadi speaking directly for Ra himself, or perhaps Thoth or Isis, or _all_ of them collectively? But the ghost said nothing, and Malik tried again.

"Why would they want to speak to us?"

"Because the whereabouts of the Pharaoh's former vessel is not the only issue at hand."

Atem instantly bristled, overcome with the urge to make him take that back. Not only did it feel like he was belittling Yuugi, but Atem saw it as an indirect comment on his partner's fate.

"My _former_-?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jounouchi cried and stomped up beside his friend. "Are you saying what happened to Yuugi's not important?"

"Quite the contrary," Shadi stated in would-be reassurance, but his dead voice provided no comfored. "Yuugi Mutou is extremely important, and I do not deny that finding him is a priority. But what I am here to say pertains not to him, but to the Devourer - the one that stole him away."

"The Devourer," Malik echoed, his brow furrowing like he was considering the term.

"And who is he supposed to be?" Atem pushed on with unmistakable impatience as he waved to indicate the room itself. "Do you mean the evil spirit sealed away here? If I defeated him three thousand years ago how could he be a factor now?"

"Because, as I already said, he freed himself from this prison seventeen years ago. And-" Shadi's gaze flicked to both Malik and Jeu. The former stared back in confusion while the later flinched, unable to meet his eye. He made no comment on it, and returned to answering Atem. "He has been using that time, and his time sealed away, to prepare for the day you would completed the ceremony in your tomb."

"The ceremony?" Questions flew through Atem with that epiphany, and they came out of his mouth as they formed in his mind. "You mean our duel? How would that matter to him? In fact, how did he even know when it took place? Has he been watching us?"

The disturbing feeling he had constantly sensed in this chamber came to mind, and he glanced up in no particular direction, half-expecting a spirit or demon to emerge now that his presence had been called out. But nothing happened, and the presence lingered in the same distant manner it had all along, so he returned his attention to Shadi. The ghost gave a stiff shrug, as if he were not used to his own muscles.

"Possibly, but he didn't need to watch you to know when your duel ended. He was aware of _everything_ that would happen to you from your release from the Puzzle to your vessel's disappearance through the gateway."

"What, you mean like _her_?"

This time Atem did turn back and found Jounouchi pointing his thumb towards Jeu. She stared back at him with something akin to hurt.

"Jounouchi..."

"Something to that effect," Shadi interrupted the mini-stand off. "But Jeu Ravin tried to help you where she could. The Devourer has used that knowledge to harm you, to set the spring to a trap three millennia in the making."

"Wait, this guy's been waiting three thousand years just to screw Yuugi over?" Jounouchi gave a snort and crossed his hands, scornful of the idea. 'What's his beef that he'd wait around all this time just to get back at him?"

"Sealed the evil away so that it could never be unleashed again," Atem quietly mumbled, seeking assurance from Malik. "That was what you said, wasn't it?"

"Ah, yes," Malik considered, a pale eyebrow piquing in question. "So you think he wants revenge for when you trapped him?"

"Well, I suppose I get that," Jounouchi admitted, but quickly glowered and turned on Shadi. "But what the hell does that have to do with Yuugi? If _that's_ what the bastard is pissed off about, he wouldn't have taken-"

"Because he thought separating Atem from him would be a better strategy."

Jeu's suddenly jumped into the conversation, regret sweeping over her face as she looked him in the eye.

"If he thought taking Yuugi would weaken you, then waiting until your bond was severed for the ceremony duel makes sense."

"He didn't do it to weaken the Pharaoh."

Shadi's counter caught their attention, but it was Jeu that looked like she'd been punched. For the first time Atem heard anger in her voice.

"What?"

"You are correct about the effects it might have, or did have." Shadi glanced at Atem, clearly referring to the 'weakened' comment. "But that was not the Devourer's primary motive for taking him. It was so he could properly start the game."

Atem's breath chilled in his lungs as his eyes flashed, silently demanding the specter to explain himself. But verbally he merely mimicked the word.

"Game?"

"Indeed." There was the _slightest_ hint of agitation in Shadi's voice, so slight Atem could be imagining it. "The Devourer is acting out a bet he made with the Gods long ago. That bet is being played out through you, Pharaoh."

His frozen lungs had shattered as he lost the ability to breathe. Atem, left unbalanced between incomprehension of the Gods having a hand in his misfortune and a rage so hot he couldn't express it. His agony and the danger to his Yuugi's soul were just part of a _game_! He couldn't respond beyond dropping his numb gaze to the sleek black floor, shaking from his unleashed feelings. Close to falling literally sick, he latched onto Jounouchi's feebly voiced question like a lifeline.

"So, so what? Yuugi's a pawn in, in all this? And he's already been... _used_?"

The blond teen struggled to keep the tough front he was famous for in place. Beside him Malik stared blankly ahead, looking dazed by the titanic implications. Yet his tanned brow was furrowed as if he were in pain. And Jeu... Going by her pallid face, Jeu was closer to collapsing than even _he_was.

"No, Yuugi is still important to the game. And his role isn't just the trigger."

Atem all but snapped his neck turning to Shadi, setting wide, desperate eyes on him.

"Then what is he in this, and what am I?"

"Yuugi Mutou is the object of the game, Pharaoh. And you are the player."

Atem swallowed hard against the hope welling up in his throat. "The goal... is for me to get him back?"

Shadi shook his head and corrected him, sending that hope collapsing into his gut. "The goal is to discover his whereabouts, not he himself. If he is physically found is irrelevant to winning... Although retrieving him would constitute as such."

Atem stiffly nodded, but nothing more. The feelings catapulting through him were crippling his ability to react any further. He almost tripped when Jounouchi let out a shaky laugh.

"So, all we need to do is find Yuugi? We would do that anyway!" He beamed a withering grin and slapped a hand on Atem's shoulder. "No worries, Shadi. You can tell the Gods or whatever that even if it takes forever, we'll find him! Right, Yu-"

"You don't have _forever_."

The calm interruption made Jounouchi stutter to a halt while Atem wearily raised his gaze to Shadi. He thought he saw hesitation in those muted eyes.

"The day of judgment will come at sunset on the celebration day of Ma'at, she of light and order. On that day you must return here, having recognized the fate of your former vessel. If you do not come, or are still unaware of what's become of him, then you lose..." Shadi's lids fell halfway over his eyes as the air chilled. "And if you lose, the Devourer will take your soul as he meant to long ago, and Yuugi Mutou's along with it."

_That_ woke Atem out of his stupor, and he snapped up to straight.

"And if he does that he will gain your powers, and there will be little chance of any other stopping him from his plans, whatever they might be. That said-" Shadi's eyes flicked over to Jeu, and Atem was tempted to reach out and steady her. She looked ready to collapse from the shock. But his own unstable balance kept him in place, and he could only hope she wasn't going to faint on them.

"I urge you to listen to Jeu Ravin. For what lies ahead, it would be an advantage to have her with you."

Jeu let out a choked, high pitched hiccup that was probably a try at a laugh, and Jounouchi had to move from Atem's wide to hold her up. After catching her footing again, Jeu threw Shadi a smile that held not a hint of humor in it.

"I really don't agree, given I didn't even understand this _game_ of yours until now. I know little more than _they_ do."

Shadi said nothing, apparently deeming his point made. Atem tried to speak around his tongue, now dry as the desert.

"How.. How am I supposed to find him, if none of us know where to look?"

Shadi turned to Jeu who flinched under his muted gaze. For a beat Atem didn't understand, then his eyes shot open in realization. "You know where to look-"

"No... I know what happened to him," Jeu mumbled. Atem took a step towards her and her oval eyes went wide at whatever she saw in his face. She quickly shook her head and looked down at the ground, a pure tortured expression painting her face.

"I can't tell you, Atem. I'm not allowed to tell you! It would count as an automatic loss if you don't figure it out on your own!"

Atem froze before he... He wasn't sure what he would have done to the girl, but he turned to the 'messenger' himself. A short nod from Shadi confirmed her words, and he was yelling at _him_ instead.

"Then _how_ am I supposed to find him if I don't know where to-"

"You do not need to begin the search yourself," Shadi cut in before his rage truly took hold. "The 'starting point' will come to you, and from there you will find your way. Until then you must wait, and survive." His eyes glimmered in the dark as he whispered.

"For waiting and surviving will be a task, my Pharaoh."

Before Atem could question his meaning Shadi disappeared in a wisp of breath, leaving four confused teenagers alone in the dim light of three flashlights. The strange communion with the dead had been too much, and finally one of them collapsed. But it wasn't Atem or Jeu who fell face first to the ground.

"Malik!"

_I was just guessing at numbers and figures  
Pulling your puzzles apart  
Questions of science, science and progress  
Do not speak as loud as my heart_

"Malik-kun... Malik-kun!"

The Egyptian groaned, but otherwise didn't respond to Jeu shaking his shoulder. Finally he flinched awake when Atem waved his flashlight in his eyes

"What happened?"

"You fainted man, that's what happened!"

Jounouchi's incredulous cry earned an annoyed glower from Malik that reassured Atem more than anything else could have. But he still watched closely as he sat up Jeu supporting his back.

"How long was I out?"

"Only for a minute. Do you remember what happened?"

"Yes... I saw that man disappear, and then the pain that was bothering me became..." Simply trying to remember made him gingerly touch his temple. "It was like someone was stabbing me in the head."

"That doesn't sound good." Jeu got a 'gee, you _think_?" look for her trouble, and she glowered back at Malik before continuing. "I think we better get you out of here as soon as possible, and down to the hospital."

"No no, that's not necessary. It's mostly gone now," Malik reassured a small grin. "I would benefit from a good meal much more than a doctor, trust me."

"Heh, well, I suppose I could handle that inste-" Jeu's amused reply was interrupted by a loud, horrified screech that made her, Malik, and the onlooking Atem all jump. They turned as one to Jounouchi to find him running over, pointing back at the blank, framed wall that lacked a door.

"There-there was someone in the wall! I was picking up the flashlight Malik dropped, and I looked up and-"

"It's just your reflection, Jounouchi," Malik glared as he massaged his abused head, not taking well to the yelling. "The obsidian reflects, remember? So-"

"It was _not_ me!" The underdog glared down at Malik before looking beseechingly to Atem - as if _he_ had all the answers. "I mean, it looked _kind of_ like me, but that guy had dark skin and black hair, and he was wearing-"

"Some kind of ancient clothing?" Jeu finished for him in question, smiling when Jounouchi turned his shocked stare on her. Atem himself blinked at her in surprised, but she just shook her head and grinned reassurance. "It's alright, don't worry about it. It's just a soul mirror."

"Soul mirror?" Jounouchi echoed. Clearly this didn't answer anything. But Atem felt a twinge of awareness at the term, as if he should recognize it.

"Yes, a soul mirror shows you yourself, but it's your 'hidden self' you see." Jeu's words stuttered a beat as Atem stood up from his kneel and approached the wall himself, but didn't stop her explanation. "Some texts say it displays your soul's true form, others say it shows you as you were in a past life. One local even said it would show a spirit possessing your body. Who knows which it is."

Atem wasn't sure what to make of this, but he was quickly convinced of the second theory when he came within a step of the wall and raised his flashlight. He nearly dropped the light when he found himself face to face with his dark skinned reflection, dripping in gold and clad in the white tunic and violet cape of his former life. His eyes widened and froze, staring at his own. Two pairs of identical mauve orbs... save there were twin lines of liquid under his double's eyes. Atem tore away from the macabre reflection only to find Jeu staring from across the blue tablet, concern in her black gaze.

"What's the matter? What did you see?"

"Nothing, it's just me. We need to get moving." Walking quickly back, he pulled Malik up on his feet and wrapped his arm around his shoulder, before quickly realizing Malik was still too weak and he was too small to support him.

"Hey hey!" Jounouchi stepped up and took Malik's other arm, and between them they managed to keep him up, while the pale haired man grimaced.

"Guys, I told you I'm fine."

"Yeah, well, I'd like to see how 'fine' you are after you climb all those stairs, get out of that hole, and walk through the palace on your own." Smirking at the grumble he received, Jounouchi glanced over Malik's shoulder at his best friend.

"Hey, Yuugi, did you get the flashlight while you were over there?"

Atem met his question with a confused stare, then searched for the flashlight Malik dropped. It still lay on the ground near the tablet, pointing its beam at Yuugi's duffel bag, where _he'd_ dropped it at Shadi's appearance. Before he could let go of Malik Jeu zipped passed him, waving him away with a grin.

"Go ahead, I'll get it! You're hands are kind of full anyways. Just don't go climbing out of the hole without me."

Atem nodded mutely at her back as she walked away, staring after her until Jounouchi and Malik's walking demanded his attention.

"Yuugi, you've got the light! Care to point it in front of us?"

"Sorry."

Jeu smiled at the talk coming from behind her as she circled around the tablet and picked up the duffel, sliding it onto her shoulder. She was in the middle of picking up Malik's light and turning it off when she happened to glance up. The good humor seeped out of her as she faced the image reflected by the light still in her hands. There was no surprise or shock, her demeanor merely grim before the reminder looking back at her.

She only snapped out of it when she heard a call behind her, making her glance anxiously over her shoulder. She only relaxed when she realized the others were already on the stairs, too far away to see this for themselves.

"Hey, you coming, Jeu?"

She hesitated just long enough for Atem to speak up too.

"We can't go on without you!"

She _knew_ he meant she was the only one that could drive and they'd be stuck here without her. But the words still drew a sad smile, and she stared longingly in his direction before yelling back.

"I know, I'm coming!"

Stuffing the extra light in the bag, Jeu shared one last glance with her purple-eyed reflection before turning her back on him. The boy in the wall mimicked her movements before disappearing as the light slipped away. Jeu whispered to herself as she trailed behind, secure in her momentary solitude.

"I know, _mou hitori no boku..._"

_Nobody said it was easy  
No one ever said  
It would be so hard_


	6. Chapter Six

**Title:** Gambling With Destiny**  
Chapter: **6 out of 36**  
Author:** Phoebe Delos**  
Fandom:** Yu-Gi-Oh! DM**  
Characters & Shipping: **Atem, Jounouchi, Malik, Jeu, & _Yuugi_. Some **Puzzleshipping**.**  
Story Summary:** The duel should have ended the story. But the vessel was taken in place of the spirit. The game is set. A wager between gods leaves the Pharaoh racing against time to defeat a forgotten enemy, running blind to solve the riddle of Yuugi's fate. But what Atem learns will leave him questioning his past, his destiny, and his connection to the boy at the center of it all. If Atem cannot see the truth, all is lost. The clock is ticking.**  
Story Rating: M**ature for **Language**, **Violence**, Potential **Sexual Situations**, & Sporadic **Dark Tones**.**  
Chapter Summary:** Dine out and move in.**  
Chapter Warnings:** **K+** for (Alluded to) **Language  
Word Count:** 5,190**  
Spoilers: **The end of the series, and anything prior. Expect some mixing of anime and manga facts.**  
Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! ... Yep, I ran out of cute ways to say it.**  
Notes:** **REVISED NOTE**** – **Okay, so I'd hoped to be done with all the revisions by now, but work and summer school came up and stole my attention. Thankfully, it's just a couple more chapters to go! And on the bright side, chapter nine _is_ done. So once the revisions are complete, you can expect a new chapter right away.**  
Special Thanks/Dedications: L**yric credits go to **Waking Ashland **for **I Am For You**.

* * *

**:: Chapter Six ::**_  
Come and take my face  
Or forever I will walk alone  
And all the same mistakes  
I know you - I deny you_

"Alright, time to chow down!"

Jounouchi smirked as he dropped a heavy tray of food on the table, where the others could grab what they wanted. But no one jumped at the chance. Jeu was busy taking back what was left of her money, Malik remained slouched in the booth with his arm bent over his eyes, and Atem just didn't react, continuing to stare out the restaurant window.

He probably should be more interested since he - or rather _Yuugi_ - had not eaten since the night before. But Atem didn't want to see whatever his friend bought for him, as he'd likely choke on anything he put in his mouth. He would have preferred not to come here at all, but when they passed through the pylon gates Jounouchi's stomach made a loud protest to its emptiness, and after laughing Jeu reaffirmed her promise to provide a meal. Sure enough, after a pit stop at a pharmacy to get some painkillers for Malik, she drove them straight to this fast food joint.

It was like Burger World, but the sign over the entrance proclaimed it to be a different American-based chain. When he stepped through the glass doors the resemblance hit Atem with memories of his partner laughing with his friends, joking around with them over lunch, all the while sharing quiet thoughts and smiles with the spirit in the Puzzle. Usually Atem tried to leave Yuugi alone when he was with his friends, not wanting to intrude, but there were times his happiness slipped through their link, and he couldn't help but join in, at least partly.

"Yuugi, are you going to eat or what? Or... you're not sick _too_, are you?"

Jounouchi's question prompted Atem to look up and shake his head. "I'm fine." He bit back the urge to scowl at his own false words.

"Well, if you say so..."

His friend's pointed look - showing blatant doubt - made him turn away. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Malik unwind himself from his weary hunch, and the movement urged Atem to at least acknowledge the meal before him. But when he looked down at the tray he paused, staring at the round shape covered in thin, papery wrapping.

Atem knew what it was. He had seen Yuugi buy and eat it enough times to recognize it, even in the restaurant's unfamiliar wrapping. Ge reached for the morsel, pulling back one side of the crinkling, flimsy paper to see the burger beneath, layered with lettuce, tomato, and bread. And, while it might be hidden from sight, he could smell the ketchup beneath the bun. Yuugi would have been ecstatic with the perfectly cooked and prepared ground beef.

But Yuugi wasn't there. And Atem hated hamburgers.

It came as a surprise to both of them many months ago, when Mutou-san's complaints of her son's grades and threats of a waving ladle about chased the boy from his usual games. Coming back from school that night, Yuugi brought home take out so he could focus on the studying he'd put off all week. Atem _still _wasn't sure what put the idea in his head, but his partner had paused right before biting into his burger, looking instead to the nearby spirit.

_"__What is it, _aibou_?" _

_"Well, I was just wondering_..._" _

_Yuugi trailed off as his voice softened, hinting his uncertainty. He didn't seem upset per se, but it still concerned the transparent teen enough that he rose from edge of the bed and approached his partner's desk._

_"Yes?" _

_Yuugi snapped out of whatever plagued him and shot him a wide grin for his trouble. He managed a quick tip of his own lips, but before he could question further the puzzle shone brightly and he was thrown into Yuugi's body. After recovering from the usual bombardment of sensations the body provided - something he doubted he'd every fully get used to - he turned to the newly appeared 'spirit' beside him._

_"_Aibou!_"_

_Yuugi sat down on the bed, so close to the desk their knees could practically touch. Not that he would feel it as more than a brush of air if they did, seeing as Yuugi had no body to make contact with. But the thought still occurred to him._

_"You should try it! You're always watching me eat, so I thought maybe you might be wondering what it's like."_

_He wanted to tell him that wasn't necessary, that he knew Yuugi loved his burgers and he wouldn't take his meal from him. But the boy shuffled his feet - despite sitting down - and his excitement convinced him to just accept his good will. So, the spirit picked up the warm, curiously smelling sandwich and bit into it._

_And promptly choked._

_"_M-mou hitori no boku!_" _

_He barely heard the fearful cry as he dropped the burger, chewing around the part still in his mouth like it was a pinecone. He felt feathery whiff of pressure on his back, and realized Yuugi was trying to pat his back. It made little impact, but he winced his way through and focused all his attention on not spitting the bite out on the carpet. He eventually managed to swallow, but still grimaced at the after taste of bacon and ketchup in his mouth._

_"Uh, here, drink some of this."_

_His partner hovered and pointed to a drink on the desk. He wouldn't meet his eye, and the spirit could tell Yuugi felt bad. Gulping down the soda that, while not particularly pleasant, washed away the lingering taste of food, he spoke up the first instant he could._

_"It, it's alright." He waited for Yuugi to look up, his own eyes softening at the guilt he saw in the purple orbs. "I'm probably just not be used to food." _

_"Ah, maybe." Yuugi leaned from foot to foot, gazing thoughtfully at the food on the des. The boy gnawed on his lip before turning back to him, the look on his face confusing Atem. _

_"Or, maybe you just don't like burgers? I know some people hate them, plus if you aren't used to them."_

_"Possibly." He couldn't see how. The body he occupied was Yuugi's, so he should prefer to eat what Yuugi did. And even if he could have his own tastes, he didn't remember eating anything before, so how could he have his own preferences?_

_"I know!" Yuugi's face lit up, chasing all Atem's protests out of the window. "Maybe you should try and eat other things. We're bound to find something you like eventually."_

_Again, he didn't see the point. He took over their shared body from time to time to support and protect his host, not enjoy the physical world for himself. But he didn't have it in him to dash the hope on Yuugi's face, not when there was no harm in going along with it._

_"I'm sure we will."_

It didn't matter if he agreed or not. It wasn't two days later Yuugi nearly burned to death, just to solve the shattered Puzzle and save him. After that Atem had avoided speaking to his savior for a while, too shaken by nearly losing him to face him.

Between that and Battle City they forgot about mundane issues like food. He only ate when it was necessary - like during the outing Yuugi sent him on with Anzu, or when he was alone before in occupying this body - and usually someone else chose his meals. But those few times were enough for him to know he just didn't share his partner's tastes. But he always choked down what he was given, not wanting to complain.

And if it were any other time, he'd do the same now. But the memories made Atem freeze with the burger in his hands, staring at it.

"Uh, man, is something wrong? I thought you liked lettuce on your burgers. Or was it? I couldn't remember if it was pickles or lettuce."

"It's fine, I am just not hun-"

The former pharaoh's hands were suddenly emptied, and facing forward he saw the girl across from him had taken his half-unwrapped burger. Scowling at her, Atem put his hovering hands down on the table as he questioned her.

"What are you doing? I'll eat it, just-" Atem was interrupted yet again as he practically crossed his eyes to look at the small hand put under his nose. There was money in her hand, and after a beat he took it from her, perplexed as she set back with a grin, pointing with a thumb at the counter.

"Go ahead and order something _you _might like."

He stared in surprise, wondering she could know about his distatste. But she kept on looking back at him expectantly, ignoring the confused pair beside them.

"Uh, Jeu, Yuugi likes burgers. What makes you think he'd want something..." Jounouchi trailed off when Atem tapped Malik on the shoulder, silently asking to get up. As he rose and crossed the restaurant he could feel their eyes following him, but he focused solely on what he should order.

* * *

In a couple minutes - after some confusion born from him and the cashier using garbled English to communicate - he chose a fish sandwich and apple slices at wild guess. Returning to the table, he discovered Jounouchi all but badgering their guide.

"Hey, look, I'm not asking anything about what _kind_ of cards they're gonna be, just when they're coming out! You can't even say that?"

Jeu sighed through her straw, making her soda bubble before she threw Jounouchi an irked pout.

"I _think_ it'll be in the next month or two, but I don't know. Pegasus isn't announcing it because he wants a surprise release."

"And while that's _very_ interesting," Malik broke in, pushing his empty salad plate aside as he joined in. "Could we talk about what that spirit told us in the cavern?"

"Heh, looks like you're feeling better," Jounouchi said, ignoring the glowers he earned as he finished off his chicken sandwich. "But, what's there to talk about? Shadi said all we need to do is wait it out, and we'll figure out how to save Yuugi."

"That's... _not_ what he said, exactly." Malik glanced at Atem as if for help, but he stayed silent. He was still reeling too much from everything Shadi threw at them, and he didn't want to distract Malik from whatever point he was trying to make. Eventually, the teen took the hint and continued on his own.

"But even if we _don't_ want to talk about how there's apparently a demon after the Pharaoh, or how the Gods themselves are involved in this, there's still the issue of 'waiting' as you put it." Malik crossing his arms as his voice softened, his thoughts clearly weighing on him. "He mentioned that we won't be able to end this - whatever _this_ is - until 'Ma'at's celebration day'. I assume he means the Goddess's feast day, and that isn't until sometime in October. I can't remember when, exactly, but whatever day it is, it's going to be a while before this is over."

"Big deal, so it'll take a while. October, that's just two and a half months..." Hesitation tainted Jounouchi's voice as he trailed off, glowering as he crossed his arms. "Wait, we have to be back _there_ on that day? That's a month or so into the next term."

Atem froze in the middle of picking up an apple slice as he realized that, if they all waited here together, his friends would be kept from their own lives for _months_. Granted, many of them - particularly Jounouchi, Anzu, and Honda - had accompanied him and Yuugi on other challenges they'd faced, but even the trip to Pegasus's island had taken only a few days. None of them had ever missed too much school due to the madness constantly rising since he was released from the Puzzle.

For himself it wasn't even a question. He hated the idea of Yuugi's schooling falling behind and could easily fill in for him, but the safety of his partner's soul far outweighed that. He wouldn't risk leaving the country that held the answer to finding him. But, to ask his friends to stay and withstand the danger?

"You should go back."

Atem didn't react to the shocked looks thrown his way, or flinch at Jounouchi's indignant screech.

"What? _Why?_"

"You shouldn't put your lives on hold." He spoke calmly, picking the wrapping off his fish sandwich as he continued. "The 'starting point' Shadi mentioned might not even appear until the feast day grows closer, and you'll be staying here waiting the first two months for nothing."

"Yeah, but it _could_ start tomorrow for all we know," Jounouchi countered, daring him to come up with some comeback. "Besides, whether it happens now or two months from now, I don't want to be halfway across the world when it does, unable to help. And neither will anyone else, you'll see. We aren't leaving you to deal with this alone, man, and we aren't going to just forget Yuugi, either!"

"School's not the only issue, though," Jeu picked at her drink lid as she spoke, tearing the plastic edge. "What about family? Somehow I don't see Mazaki-san, Honda-san, and Bakura-san's parents agreeing to them staying away from home for that long."

"Er..." Jounouchi scratched the back of his head, reminded of the parental figures that he himself didn't deal with. "Well, maybe we could tell them they're on some sort of field trip or something?"

"Maybe... I could try to set up some exchange program story and ask the high school to feed it to them. It'd take some work but, perhaps they'd buy it."

"Perhaps." Malik echoed. "The fact that we're going to help is not an issue, or up for argument." He gave a pointed look at Atem, talking over his attempted protest. "_The problem is_, where are we supposed to stay, assuming everyone stays in the country? Ishizu, Rishid, and I are in Cairo now, and we have room for a couple people if need be, but it's still pretty far from here."

"Ah, that's not a problem," Jeu piped in. "Do you remember my apartment complex? I have enough room there for everyone, even if your family wanted to stay, too."

"Oh..." Malik stared back at her, thrown off by her easy solution.

"Although, I'm not sure if they will agree-" Jeu cut herself off this time, frowning, clearly caught in thought. But just as quickly she shook her head, her tone resolute when she jumped back to the present.

"Honestly, it's not right to decide this stuff without the others. They should have a say in it, too." Scrunching the hamburger's wrapping into a ball in her hand – she had been eating the one she took from Atem earlier – she dropped it on the tray as she went on.

"For now, Shadi has given us some direction, if not answers. We know the world isn't going to implode for at least a couple months, and you've still got the Items, so there shouldn't be too much trouble, _hopefully_. Now we just need to-"

"Wait." Atem halted Jeu before she could continue, his own shock weakening the command. But the girl still stopped, giving him a confused, wide eyed blink. "We don't have the items."

A couple more blinks.

"What?"

"I said, we don't have them. The tablet crumbled and the items fell underground when the tomb collapsed. They're buried under-"

Atem had no idea what she yelled, his knowledge of English not including whatever curse she threw out. Jeu moved as if to rise, but of course she couldn't while in the booth. Going by the panicked expression on her face, Atem half expected her to climb right over the table, but instead she reached into her pocket and pulled out a violet cellphone, stabbing a couple buttons before ramming it to the side of her face.

"Jeu, what are-"

Jeu went off in a hasty foreign language before he could get a sentence out. He thought it might be Arabic, but Malik looked just as lost as he was. Of course, it still _could_ be Arabic, but she was going too fast for even a fluent speaker to follow.

"I... Gah!" Jeu glared down at her phone, grumbling to herself in Japanese - much to his relief. "Stupid signal!" She spoke into the phone once more before closing it, and finally looked up at Atem. Her expression kept morphing between irritated and apologetic, and after a moment she turned away with a grumble.

"I'll be right back."

"Uh, what-" Jounouchi tried to stall her, but she just kept waving for him to move, and so he backed out of the booth so she could scooch by, convinced only by a gesture to listen to a girl half his size. Atem turned around in his own seat to watch the short blonde started dialing again even as she walked off, heading outside.

The moment the sliding doors closed behind her, Jounouchi exploded.

"Okay, what was _that_ about? Why did she leave like that?"

"Bad reception?"

Jounouchi glowered at Malik, but then just as quickly recovered and let out a dark chuckled as he dropped back into his seat.

"Well, looks like Jeu doesn't know about _everything_ after all, huh, Yuugi?"

"Apparently," Atem answered, ignoring a ping of annoyance at the name. There was no point in bringing it up with Jounouchi - 'Yuugi' was what he always called him. The only reason it bothered him _now _was the painful reminder that came with it.

He focused instead on Jeu's back, distorted by the glass doors. He couldn't hear what she was saying, or see her face, but her jerky movements were telling enough. While a part of him - the part bitter about this stranger knowing more about him than anyone else, perhaps even _himself_ - agreed with Jounouchi, he couldn't find any humor in her anxiety. That Jeu knew the strangest details about him, like his taste in _food_, but could miss something so crucial seemed completely off.

Eventually it became clear she wasn't going to come back immediately, and it wasn't long before Malik broke the silence.

"So, what do you make of her?" he asked, glancing from Atem to Jounouchi, receiving a snort from the latter.

"Apart from she's crazy?"

"Oh, I don't know." Malik glanced over his shoulder, as if afraid Jeu might hear them. "I'd say she's handling everything very well."

"_That's_ why she's crazy. Who in their right mind could deal with all this?" Jounouchi glowered for a few moments, but after a beat he looked up, staring blankly at the ceiling with his arms crossed.

"But, she _does_ looke like she wants to help us, I guess. And I don't peg her as tricking us, even if she's so irritating with her 'I can't say' crap. She just..."

"Has her hands tied?" Atem finished quietly, his question hanging in the air. His friend craned his neck around meet his mauve gaze and slowly he, the gesture awkward thanks to his posture.

"Yeah, that sounds about right, but-"

Atem never found out what 'but' Jounouchi was going for, as he snapped his mouth shut when he spotted something over his shoulder. The reason was pretty easy to guess, and he valiantly fought the urge to look back himself, busying himself with eating the last of his apple slices, which weren't half bad.

"Well, that's all I can do for now." Jeu stopped in front of the table and stared at the ground, not meeting anyone's eye. Jounouchi scooted quietly over so that she could sit straight down, and the girl slouched into the seat, setting her phone on the table where it slid across the surface. Malik caught it before it fell on the floor, and pushed it back to its owner. But Jeu just let it fall straight into her lap, too busy staring out the window.

"So... Who were you on the phone with?"

"The Council."

Atem frowned at the term, trying to remember where he knew it from, but Malik apparently understood, given his lilac eyes got twice as big. Jeu didn't notice, going on in that same distracted manner.

"I needed to speak to a friend on the board about getting the tomb excavated."

"...you what?" Atem managed to ask, the conflict of confusion and indignance slowing his reaction. When Jeu turned to him, she quickly jumped to attention and shook her head, talking twice as fast as before.

"No no no, I mean, they're not excavating the tomb! I mean, they _are_, but not to study it or take anything. And they won't even get into the ceremonial chamber, that is if it hasn't collapsed into where the items are. But even if they do, the people who'll do it know what they're doing and to not disturb it as much as possible. Of course, it's already collapsed in, but you know-"

The nervous speech curtailed most of his anger, and Atem cut into the tirade before she worked herself into a panic by grabbing the wrist of one of her raised hands. The moment he made contact her mouth shut like a vice. She went as still as a statue.

"Jeu?" Atem waited until she tugged her attention from their joined hands, quickly letting go when he saw her expression. "Breathe."

"Right..." She mumbled so softly he barely heard her.

"Uh, _right,_" The comment reminded Atem there were two others at the table, and he was hard-pressed not to glower at Jounouchi's sarcastic echo.

"But, why are you digging up the items?" Malik asked, refocusing on the phone call. "No one else outside our group, and you, should know where they are now. Is it likely the Puzzle even remained intact from the fall? It's probably broken apart again, and it would be near impossible to find all the pieces."

While the Egyptian was probably right, and it meant no one would be able to misuse the collective seven, the idea hung heavy as lead in Atem's mind. That the Puzzle that connected him to his partner, that Yuugi had worked so hard to solve _twice_ was broken apart again-

"Malik, the Puzzle might be broken, but the others are all a threat individually," Jeu replied. "And don't let the idea that they're buried fool you. If _He _wants to get a hold of them, something like that isn't going to stop him."

Her reference to the 'The Devourer' Shadi mentioned was so full of contempt it nearly distracted Atem from what she actually said. Nearly.

"The people that this council might send to find them. Are they trustworthy? It isn't worth the risk if someone on the team uses them."

"Honestly, I'd rather one of them trying to use it over _Him_, but yes, we can trust them. I don't think any of them would recognize what the Items are, or what they could be used for."

Atem nodded in answer, but didn't say anything. Honestly, he still didn't like the idea of _anyone_ excavating his tomb, even if there was no one buried there. Add in the fact that it had a passage to the afterlife and the items could easily fall into the wrong hands, and the situation was dangerous at best. But, if Jeu was right and they wouldn't be safe buried underground, he had to agree. He wouldn't feel secure until he had the Millennium Items back, where he could keep them safe and unused.

"What do we do now?"

Jounouchi's question drew everyone's eyes to Atem, as if he would have the answer. But he had no better idea than them. Latching onto the one point that came to him, he looked to Jeu.

"The others need to know what's going on."

"True," she opened her phone and dialed even as she spoke, though she didn't put it to her ear and no ringing came from it. "And the boat's going to be leaving soon. The question is, should I drive you back to it, or should we have them come to us?"

"Malik." Atem asked, after coming his decision - at least in his case. "Do you think Ishizu could have everyone brought to Luxor?"

"Uh, probably." He frowned, hesitance clear on his face. "I would just have to call her, and-" He paused when Jeu held her phone out to him, prompting him to take it. For a couple seconds he stared at the number displayed on the phone, and then he sent an exasperated look at Jeu as he pressed 'Send'.

"Should I even bother asking how you got my sister's phone number? Or is that another of those unanswerable questions?"

"No, I just have contact information for most people on the Council, including her."

With a start, Atem realized the 'Council' was the Supreme Council of Antiquities, the government branch in charge of all archaeology in the country. Ishizu was Secretary General for them, or at least she had been when he saw her for the first time in that newspaper Yuugi spotted when he was in the hospital after the fire. Shocked at how he hadn't figured this out sooner, Atem missed most of Malik's conversation with his sister.

"She says it's fine, and they should make it here in a few hours. But where should they go?"

"The penthouse at Acacia Apartments."

Jeu started giving an address, but she paused as she realized all three were looking at her in confusion.

"I, assumed we'd go to my place. They'll probably kick us out if we stay here much longer."

"Right... What was that address again?"

* * *

"_Woah!_ Is this really an apartment building? It looks like some snazzy hotel!"

Atem didn't comment, but he thought Jounouchi was right. Glancing about the luxurious lobby, blessedly air conditioned and protected against the blazing heat outside, he was taken back by the large, richly decorated lounge spread out beyond the front desk.

Unfortunately, the man behind that desk didn't take well to Jounouchi's yelling.

He scowled and straightened the tie of his suit as he walked toward them, speaking in a heavily accented English.

"Excuse me, but this is private-" He paused and quickly dropped into a shallow bow as Jeu, who was trailing behind due to her heavy bag, came through the door. "Miss Ravin, good afternoon."

"Afternoon, Sofiad." Jeu replied politely, even as she passed the desk without a pause in her step, shuffling to pull out her keys. As they waited for a pair of elevators to respond to the pressed 'up' button, Jounouchi made another comment, though this one was clearly a joke.

"So, what, this place have its own pool and restaurant?"

"Um, no, there's no restaurant, there are swimming pools in a couple of the penthouses. There isn't in the third one, though - the one I live in."

The melodic 'ding!' of the opening doors synchronized with Atem's shock, and Malik and Jounouchi's expressions mirrored his feelings perfectly. But Jeu noticed nothing as she boarded the elevator, putting her key into a slot above the column of numbers as they filed inside the small, brightly lit space. As one they watched the ascending numbers lit up over the door as Jeu started talking, overshadowing the soft classical music playing from speakers overhead.

"There's a couple other bedrooms in my apartment, so if any of you want to take a nap until the others get here, you can. Otherwise we could find a movie to watch. Or a game to play. Pegasus did just send me the beta copy of the new Du-"

Jeu choked on her own tongue when the elevator stalled with a jump, the bell rang again, and the doors opened. But that wasn't what stopped her. It was how a loud, excited cry from somewhere down the hall.

"Jeu, is that you?"

The girl yelling in English made Jeu freeze and her eyes bug out so wide Atem was afraid they might fall out. As she was in front of them she blocked their way out, and she only moved when the doors started closing, swinging her arm out to signal it to stop. Immediately she turned around and looked to him, speaking in a frantic tone that left Atem striving to keep up.

"Okay, I thought she wasn't going to be home yet, and I would have had time to explain this to you. But the point is, yes it's _her_, but she doesn't remember that, just like Kaiba, you know? And I've worked hard to keep her out of all of this, so try not to-"

Jeu's rushed speech broke to a stop as pounding footsteps came down the hall, a form barreling into Jeu's back just as the elevator doors were about to slide shut again. Jeu let out a grunt and nearly toppled, urging Atem reach out to catch her. But he was quickly squished between the wall and Jeu, the contact making his mind go blank a second before anger set in, making him blurt out.

"W-what are you-"

"Jeu, you're home! I can't believe it! I was...happened to you! I get home...no where...Pegasus... I had no idea what to-"

"Woah, hold it!"

Jounouchi cut off the cries flying from the new arrival too fast for him to understand, and Atem silently praised his friend as the blonde pulled on the other end of the human sandwich, allowing him and Jeu a chance to slump against the wall together and _breathe_.

"Look lady, I don't know who you..."

Jounouchi's sudden silence caught Atem's attention, and he pulled himself away from focusing on filling his lungs with air and how Jeu was pressed into his left side to look up. And the moment he did he was struck dumb, verbally and mentally. The sight of the smiling, long haired blond was like a punch to the gut.

And she was staring back at him with a similar look of recognition. Or at least he thought so until she broke out in a huge grin.

"Oh my god, it's Yuugi Mutou!"

"Yes, yes..." Jeu gave Atem's arm a light pat before pulling herself away from the wall. She set a hand on the girl's shoulder, likely to keep her from jumping _him_ if her behavior was anything to go by, as she waved to the others.

"And these two are Katsuya Jounouchi and Malik Ishtar. Guys, this is my cousin, Amanda Mitchell."

"Pah! What do you mean calling me that? Do I go around referring to you as Lucia, Jeu?" The girl punched her shorter cousin on the arm, earning a flinch that she paid no mind to as she continued to grin at them.

"You guys can call me Mana!"

_Choices still remain forever  
Right & wrong is black & white  
The illusions of this world  
And there is hope again_


	7. Chapter Seven

**Title:** Gambling With Destiny  
**Chapter: **7  
**Author:** Phoebe Delos  
**Fandom:** Yu-Gi-Oh! DM  
**Story Summary:** The duel should have ended the story. But the vessel was taken in place of the spirit. The game is set. A wager between gods leaves the pharaoh racing against time to defeat a forgotten enemy, running blind to solve the riddle of Yuugi's fate. But what Atem learns will leave him questioning his past, his destiny, and his connection to the boy at the center of it all. If Atem cannot see the truth, all is lost. The clock is ticking.  
**Story Rating: M**ature for **Language**, **Violence**, Potential **Sexual Situations**, & Sporadic **Dark Tones**.  
**Chapter Summary:** How the group kills time waiting, and then a meeting. And Atem sits on a cat.  
**Characters & Shipping: **Atem, Jounouchi, Jeu, Mana, Malik, plus others. **Puzzleshipping **& _Hints _of others.  
**Chapter Warnings:** **K+** for **Language **and Slight **Angst**.  
**Word Count:** 4,755  
**Spoilers: **The end of the series, and anything prior. That includes a certain spirit's name. Expect some mixing of anime and manga facts.  
**Disclaimer: **I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! I do have some cards though. Can those were like timeshares?  
**Notes:** **EDITTED** I can't believe how long this took me to put up, but I repeat, this story is not dead- It's just been largely postponed. See what a final year in college does? Oh, and **I cut lyrics for fear of being blocked**. Older chapters will lose their lyrics soon, too.  
**Special Thanks/Dedications: **Everyone that's reviewed up to this point. There's nothing quite as motivating, reassuring, or constructive as feedback!

* * *

**:: Chapter Seven ::**

"Please, make yourselves at home."

Jeu's welcome was absent at best as she pushed the front door, still half-open from Mana's rush to welcome them. Atem watched, still numb, as the carbon copy of his old friend pushed passed her cousin, twirling on her heel to beam back.

"Come on in, already!"

"Ah, right," Jounouchi mumbled, sharing a look with Atem before stepping in. Mana was already around the corner, so he looked to their other hostess as he held one foot up.

"Should we leave our shoes here or what?"

"You don't have to," she answered, not pausing in taking off her plum jacket and opening a nearby door that proved to be a coat closet. Atem, glancing around the hall corner to make sure Mana was nowhere near, turned back to the remaining girl, staying behind as Jounouchi passed his coat to Jeu and led a back-glancing Malik away.

"Jeu?"

She looked his way in the middle of hanging up the jacket, and he hoped his question he would simply show on his face. She obviously recognized it, but ducked her head, focusing on the white material in her hands. The disregard shot irritation through him, and he stepped closer, covering his alarm as much as possible lest they be overheard.

"How can she be here? Why would she be reborn as _your cousin_?"

"I don't know." Jeu closed the closet door and leaned against it, meeting his question with one of her own. "Why was Kaiba-kun reborn as your rival, or your former advisor as Yuugi's grandfather?"

The counter left Atem speechless, unsure what to say. She had a point, after all. Fate had led him to familiar faces more than once, and even before he knew to recognize him it felt natural that he'd be led to fight Kaiba. Face the spirit of the Ring. As natural as Yuugi being the one to solve the Puzzle and free him.

Was Mana simply another instance of this?

Eventually Jeu pulled herself off the door and walked down the hall, prompting him to follow, conversation already carrying over to them.

"Damn, how many games do you guys have?"

"Uh, I don't know! These are just the ones we've played recently or Jeu's brought down for later. Most are stored up in her game room!"

"Wait, there's _more_?"

Coming into a large room, Atem gave a cursory glance to the dining space to his left before looking in the direction of the loud voices, seeing Jounouchi and Mana in the living room, a pair of couches facing a large entertainment center and a bookcase. The two in the room were crouched in front of it, chatting about different things they pulled off. Atem's eyes ran curiously over the expansive selection of video games on the top shelves and the board games stacked on the lower ones, speaking to the two even as he wondered what the games labeled in Arabic were.

"Where did Malik go?"

"Checking out the view."

Jounouchi's flippant response spurred him around, looking for Malik near one of the large windows, dining table, or attached kitchen. But it wasn't until he glanced towards the other side of the room he noticed a pair of glass doors leading to a terrace. Jeu was walking through those doors, and over her shoulder Atem saw the pale-haired teen as she made it to his side, not turning. Staring at their distant forms leaning on the balcony rail with their backs to him, he frowned.

What could they be talking about?

"No _way_!"

Atem turned about at the ecstatic cry, finding Jounouchi grinning back at him and waving a game with a colorful cover.

"Look, Yuugi!"

That was all the warning Atem got before that slim box was tossed at him. He had to drop the strap to Yuugi's duffel to catch it before it could hit him in the face. Shuffling the slippery thing in his grip, the former pharaoh meant to ask Jounouchi, quite calmly, what the hell he thought he was doing, but he was distracted when he actually looked down at the box in his hands. His breath caught as amazement took him off guard.

"Duel Monsters?"

"Yup!" Mana chirped, skidding over and plucking up the box before he finished reading the back. "Pegasus sent it last month! It's the prototype for some game he wants to release son!"

"And it works?" Jounouchi hopped up himself, glancing between the girl and the room's gigantic television like he saw the solution to all life's problems between the two. "Can you duel on it? No problem?"

"Nope, it works great! You can play against the game, or another player! Here, let me-"

Atem looked on as the pair started setting up the game like a couple of excited kids, pulling out controllers, Mana on one couch as Jounouchi pulled over a chair. Looking on, the former king was thrown by how easily Jounouchi adjusted to Mana's presence, not questioning it at all and diving into having fun in a matter of minutes. Granted, he could just be ignoring his qualms, and Atem found it best to follow his example. For the time being.

He stepped back to sit on the far couch, attention on the flashing television. But he bounced right back up when he met a small pillow, sharp with screeching and needle pricks. Trying hard not to look like a fool by rubbing his stinging behind, he turned to find the source. But whatever it was raced off the couch and around a corner, giving only a flash of black.

"...did you just sit on my cat?"

Jeu was there, out of the corner of his eye, and he met her glance baffled stare for baffled stare.

"Your cat?"

"Um, yes?" Jeu looked between him and the hall a couple times before disappearing again. Silence fell, until Mana rose to face him, the same tone in her own voice.

"You sat on Smokey?"

That prompted Jounouchi to – blessedly – stop staring at _him_ to target _her _instead.

"You guys have named your cat _Smokey_?"

"Is that weird?"

"_Ow!_"

Jeu's cry pulled his attention back to the hall, and he was near across the room before he caught himself, and she appeared again, shaking one hand as the other held a struggling black kitten.

"Not nice, Smokey!" Jeu pouted at the small animal, holding him up at eye level a second before setting him on the floor. The cat immediately zipped off again, leaving Atem staring after it. He didn't have a particular love for cats, but if he'd harmed Jeu's pet...

"Is he all right?"

"Yeah, he did more damage to us." Jeu shot a wane smile before plopping down on the couch. Seeing at the girl in the spot he went for seconds ago, Atem hesitated. Mana was taking up the funiture's mate, using her controller to zip through the game's opening sequence against Jounouchi's complaints. A shuffling lured his glance back, finding Jeu scooting to one side. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but she was drowned out by the company, so Atem just took the offer.

"Woah, look at all these cards? How do you scroll through them without taking an hour?"

"There's a search option! But it didn't come with all these, I got them through game play! Do you want me to help you make a deck with the system- Wait, then I'll see your deck."

"Why don't you go get a snack or something, Mana?" Jeu cut in, pulling her feet up to hus her legs. Atem frowned at the odd twinge the gesture sent through him. "I can walk him through it while you're gone."

"Sounds good!" Mana beamed back before rolling up and hurrying off to the kitchen, leaving Jeu to talk her future opponent through replicating his favorite deck via the game. Atem tried to focus on what she said, but his mind just wasn't alert. His mind wandered, Armor Break flashing on the screen flashing him to discussing the pros and cons of adding it to their deck for Battle City with Yuugi. The wandering wondering of his partner caught in a loop of past times, but even that line of thought ebbed into silence.

"Pharaoh... Pharaoh?"

Atem opened his eyes, surprised they closed in the first place. Malik hovered over him, two glasses of something in hand and a confused look on his face.

"You were sleeping?"

"Ah..." Atem replied eloquently, sitting up straight from the slouch he'd fallen into, rubbing his face. "Seems so."

Glancing around Malik, he saw that Jeu and Jounouchiwhere he left them, but Mana was nowhere in sight. The game was still on the deck arranging screen. _I couldn't have been out for long..._

"When was the last time you slept?"

Atem peeked up between pale fingers and gold bangs to see Jeu looking back at him. A dismissal was on the tip of his tongue, but the unwavering, concerned stare stilled the words and forced him to consider.

Sleep... He had never naturally _slept _before, not in this lifetime. The only recollection he had was from memories. Save for after his duel with Haga, but that was falling unconscious, nightmares. Not sleep.

"...Atem?"

Focusing his gaze, he found gray eyes still set on him, the question she _really_ meant there - when had this _body_ last had any sleep? Considering that meant Yuugi, but he held the stirring of that from his face. Not here, not in front of them.

"A little on the plane, but... back in Domino?"

"Huh?" Jounouchi turned around in his chair, leaning over the back to gawk at him. "You mean you didn't go to sleep after I talked to yo- Yuugi on the deck last night?"

"No..." _Aibou talked to Jounouchi last night?_ Of course he wouldn't remember. He blocked himself from Yuugi's mind that night, so he wouldn't witness him forming his deck. But still, the idea brought a slight frown to his face. _What were they talking about?_

"Hmm..." The noncommittal noise drew the former spirit back to Jeu. She showed none of Jounouchi's shock, but all of the concern. "You should rest, Atem, at least until the others arrive." His protests must have shown on his face before they could leave his mouth, because hers twitched, a good natured grin as she added on-

"You don't want to nod off in the middle of dinner, or talking to them, do you?"

Reluctant though he was, Atem saw her point. Jeu looked like she was moving to stand, but Mana came back into the room, a big bowl of popcorn in hand, asking what was going on. A quick explanation - and Jounouchi proclaiming he wasn't ready yet - left Atem getting dragged out by a beaming Mana.

"Come on, I'll show you your room!"

"I... All right..." Atem looked to Jeu for help with her cousin. His friend. But the moment he looked her way Jeu quickly averted her gaze to the television, speaking quickly to Jounouchi. The stiff set of her back caught his attention, and he might have been tempted to question her about it, if it weren't for the insistent pull on his arm or the exhaustion fogging his mind.

"The rooms upstairs are taken by me and Jeu, but there's a couple empty ones down here!"

Atem nodded along, glancing curiously at a staircase they passed he'd missed before. The pair came to a pair of doors at the end of the hall, side by side. Mana finally released him as she glanced from one to the other, before giving a noise of dismissal and opening the one on the right, waving Atem inside.

"That's the bathroom there, and there's a door to the closet on the other side of the room!" He glanced about as Mana spoke, but couldn't see anymore than silhouettes in the dark, with the curtains pulled. "I'd give you a better tour, but you're tired and all, so... Just come look for me if you need anything, 'kay?"

Turning around, Atem hovered just where the light from the door still hit him, offering a nod. A part of him hurt to see the amazement, but complete lack of familiarity in her face. She didn't remember anything... Of course, his own memory of that friendship was hazy, but he was at least _aware _of it.

"Thank you."

Mana beamed in answer before turning around, closing the door behind her until there was nothing but a crack of light left illuminating the room.

* * *

A clock was flashing '6:47' in red numbers.

That was the first thing Atem noticed when he opened his eyes, blinking to focus and make out the time. Hours had passed. He should get up. Return to the others. Instead he turned over and curled into the covers.

He jerked when something cold and wet nudged his eye, hitting his head on the headboard. Grappling in the dark for a lamp, it took him a few seconds to fill the room with light, but once he did his heart started beating again. It was just that cat, propped on the pillow his head wasn't on. He shot a displeased frown at the feline, getting only the blink of big green eyes of his trouble. That purring was downright amused, he'd swear it.

Atem shooed the cat off the bed with a couple waves and took his first look at his new quarters, examining the large space. It was more like a hotel suite than an apartment, luxurious, but unlived in. The sight overrid the images of the dream he tried to recall, already slipping from his memory. It had been something about a blue swallow, perched in a lotus tree, saying something to him - something important, something he needed to remember...

He had already forgotten.

With a sigh of defeat, Atem moved to the bed's edge and pulled his boots on, listening. Now awake and alert he realized what woke him in the first place. Voices talking, rather loudly. And one of them sounded a lot like Honda. Leaving the rest of his things behind, he walked out of the room as soon as he was ready, ignoring the tiny patter of the kitten following him.

"Wait, I don't get it, so we have to wait _three months_ before we even get a _chance _to find-"

"Honda-san, she said we have three months _to _find him."

"That's even worse! What if we don't make it in time? What happens to-"

"Yuugi!"

Atem stalled mid-step in the doorway as all eyes turned on him, feeling the intruder. Everyone he had left behind was there, sitting at the dining table. Before he could even blink half of them were rising, Anzu and Honda at his side, the man frowning down at him.

"Are you okay?"

"Ah.." he managed with a nod, glancing to his side when Anzu heaved a sigh.

"When we heard what happened, and that you were sleeping, we were worried you had fallen ill, like Malik-kun did."

"I told you," The Egyptian spoke up, glowering from his chair, still seated between brother and sister. "I am not sick. And neither is the Pharaoh."

"Still, can you blame us for our concern?" Ishizu said, folding her hands on the tabletop. "I have never known you to faint, Malik, and the timing is dubious enough... You said yourself that the atmosphere in that chamber felt strange. Did younotice the same, Pharaoh?"

"Yes, something was off. But," Atem frowned as he glanced around the room, realizing what had seemed off to him in the here and now. "Where is Jounouchi?"

"I sent him out with Mana," Jeu answered, and following the sound of her voice Atem found her at the kitchen bar, seperated. There were no seats left at the table, but still the fact caught his notice around her words.

"Like I told you, I want to keep her out of this, so I sent them for dinner and asked Jounouchi to stall her so we could talk. Of course-" Jeu pouted as she glanced at Honda, getting nothing but an answering glower for her trouble. "You yelling 'Mana, what are you doing here!' when you came in didn't help."

"Hey, I didn't know to expect her here-"

"None of us did," Ishizu cut in.

Silence fell. A shadow of the piling shocks that had struck everyone that day fell over all of them. It was too thick, and Atem walked further inside to break through it. It broke the stillness, and gave Ishizu back her voice.

"Malik and Ravin-san explained what happened in the underground chamber, and how Shadi spoke to you."

"Do you know anything of what he said? Of the Devourer?" Atem rushed out. He might have believed Shadi's words, heard that he should wait for the next step to become clear, but that didn't mean the idea of answers, of finding out what he was dealing with didn't pull him across the room to the table's edge, to the Ishtar's guidance.

"I'm sorry, I don't have much to add to what Malik told you, at least for now." Ishizu apologized, calm eyes focused down on folded hands. But she quickly looked up again, pressing on just as Atem was swallowing back his disappointment. "But I think I know where I can start looking - The same place Malik read of this being."

Atem forgot to breath, sitting down across from her, barely noticing Otogi had risen to clear the seat for him seconds before. "You remembered where he learned of him?"

"Yes, I remember seeing the term used on an inscription before, although I didn't study it closely" Ishizu frowned as she focused on the wall behind him, as if trying to reread what she was missing in the paint. "I do not remember what the being is, but the text referred to him as 'the enemy of Ra' throughout most of it... If there was an actual name given, I am afraid I don't remember. I wouldn't have related the Devourer to it at all, if not for a particular image..."

"But, whatever he was called, he is the same as what Shadi spoke of" Rishid filled in where Ishizu ebbed off. "Since both sources speak of a being you defeated on the night of your father's death."

"Wait a minute," Honda jumped in, plopping down in the chair beside Atem. "Didn't we fall into the day of his coronation in Bakura's game? So, what, he beat some demon the very night before that?"

That could not be true.

Atem couldn't place the why, but the certainty that this shadowed fight was not so close to the one chapter of his life he recalled well was drummed into his bones. There was some gulf between he could no place but sensed all the same.

"No, the former pharaoh wouldn't have died that recently," Rishid answered, echoing his thoughts. "There's a seventy-two day mourning period for the royals, so this would have occurred at least two months before those last days."

"But, whenever it occured," Ishizu jumped back in, turning her focus on Atem. "The story of 'the enemy of Ra's' defeat was engraved into the sides of a chest left in your tomb."

Atem's hands curled into the table top until the joints were stiff as his back. Anzu cut through the silence he let hang, the same dismay coursing in her own voice.

"But, but the tomb collapsed! That means that the-"

"Don't worry, Anzu," Malik cut in, throwing an easy smile before glancing at Atem, a touch of trepidation in his gaze. "You might have noticed the tomb was empty when you went there... That's because it was emptied when it was first uncovered a couple years ago. What was taken from there was sent to the museum in Cairo."

A stab of anger shot through Atem at the idea that his resting place - whether he actually _rested_ there or not - had been emptied out, the remains of his life displayed to the world. But just as quickly a memory resurfaced, one buried but not as deeply as his kinghood.

"The exhibit..." He murmured, drawing confused glances from everyone. But a moment later Honda and Anzu both gasped, realizing what he referred to.

"That's right! The stuff from the tomb was shown back in Domino eons ago!"

Atem nodded numbly along with Honda, whispering to himself. "When we met Shadi..." He could kick himself for not realizing it sooner! Now that he thought back, he realized those ere _his _remains displayed then, but he'd never made the connection, too caught up in hearing of the Millennium Items for the first time.

"Exactly," Ishizu said, pulling Atem from his thoughts. "While the tomb has collapsed, what was found inside is intact. And the chest should be with everything else from the exhibit."

"And where is the exhibit now?" Atem asked, working to keep the bite from his voice at referring to his remains as such. Finding that chest was more important right now than indignation.

"I believe it's in Paris at the moment..." Ishizu trailed off, but shook her head as she dismissed whatever she considered. "I could find out exactly where, but it does not matter. I know it will return in Cairo by the end of the week. I have been working with the curator for some time, so there shouldn't be a problem in getting access. I can also look for more references to whoever this Devourer is. The first time I was examining the chest, all of the artifacts, I was looking for mentions of the God Cards or the prophecy. I could have easily missed something crucial."

"So you'll go back to Cairo to look again?"

The jump-in drew Atem's attention to the girl at the kitchen bar, making Jeu fidget uncomfortably as everyone followed suit. But she kept her eyes fixed on Ishizu, who hesitantly answered.

"Yes... I'll need to go as soon as possible. If your offer for a room tonight still stands, I could stay until morning, but after that, I will certainly be of more help if I can search for answers in the museum."

Jeu nodded in answer, glancing at Atem. The reluctance he saw in her face confused him, but she looked down at her hands before he could place any meaning to it.

"And everyone else? Who will be staying, until this is worked out?"

"What, you have to ask?" Honda gave a snort before he turned and grinned at Atem, confidence and a 'no arguments' edge in his voice. "I'm with Jou. I'm staying until we've got Yuugi back."

"Yes," Anzu added in, stepping up to grip his shoulder. "We aren't going to turn our backs and leave you to deal with this alone. No way."

"I, I'd like to stay, too." Everyone turned their eyes to Bakura at the quiet admission, the white-haired boy grinning as he offered his own support. "I know I could be of help at the museum, but I'd like to try and be so now!"

Before Atem could protest to Bakura's claim, Malik was cutting in, determined eyes meeting his own from across the table. "Me too. Ishizu and Rishid know the museum better, anyways. I'd rather stay and try and find who's doing this in person."

A smile had slowly grown on Atem's face as he listened to each friend put in support. But a soft sigh had him turning to see Otogi standing a space away. The dice player's regret was palpable. "I wish I could offer you the same backing as everyone else, Yuugi. But, I don't have anyone to handle my company in my stead. Maybe, if I talk my dad through it be phone-"

"No, Otogi." Atem cut in. "I don't want you abandoning your company for my sake-" The words 'and _aibou_ wouldn't either' came to mind, but froze in his throat as the way he near-spoke of his partner echoed back at him. Yuugi was not gone, and he shouldn't even be _thinking_ of him in such terms.

"You can always visit, Otogi-san, if you want to." Jeu picked up his assurance, approaching the green-eyed teen even as her gaze drifting questioning to Atem. "I'll make sure we have room whenever you come."

"Wow, uh, thanks..." Otogi marveled, until concern slipped across his face at something he noticed.

Atem followed the gaze behind him, and found himself looking straight at Sugoroku. The small man looked just as tired as he had at the tomb. Was the burden of Atem's pain written on _his_ face so openly? A beat, and he faced his partner's guardian himself.

"You should return to Domino, as well. You cannot allow the game shop to stay closed." The point that Yuugi needed a home to return came to mind, but he dared not voice it. He knew no one here would dare protest and think of mentioning that he might _not_ return, but Atem still feared the possibility..

"I know you are right..." Sugoroku trailed off, his mouth forming a name before he stopped himself, instead looking away, towards the large window that reflected everyone in the room. "But being across the world when something could happen to any of you..."

"We do have an idea of when to expect rouble," Jeu quietly pointed out, drawing the orchid eyes of the elder Mutou to her. "So, even if you return to Domino for now, you can always come back and be here when that happens. But, until then, I think you should listen to Atem..."

The once king of Egypt looked between the girl and Sugoroku, shocked at the quiet affection he saw on Jeu's face. Yuugi's grandfather looked surprised himself, but the shock started it ebb into something else, something hard to read. But the moment it appeared it was gone again, thanks to a loud _bang_ of a door slamming.

"We're back!"

Mana grinned over the top of numerous pizza boxes as she came around the corner, but froze as she saw everyone at the table, making Jounouchi almost run into her back.

"Hey, what's with the serious faces, you guys? You look like you're at a funeral or something!"

Everything went heavy, weighted, until Jeu shoved it off with a laugh, walking over to take some of the boxes. "No no, we're just catching up on news, Mana! So, did you guys get everything?"

"I think so! Though it wouldn't have taken so long if _you_ - who can actually _driv_e - went and got them yourself."

"I told you, I couldn't leave my guests! Now, who wanted pepperoni?"

"Oh, that's mine, Jeu! Just let me put down these boxes! I'm starv-"

"Yuugi?"

Anzu's quiet voice distracted Atem from Jounouchi, and as everyone congregated towards the kitchen he made a stilted turn her way. As soon as he looked at her she gave him as small, encouraging smile, relief painting her voice.

"I'm glad you're okay."

Atem didn't answer beyond a quick quirk of the lips to reassure her, simply following her lead to the kitchen bar. He wasn't okay, and he would never feel truly at ease, until the soul of his partner was back with him, where it belonged. But he couldn't say so to Anzu, not now. For the moment, his thoughts were filled with gratitude instead loss.

His light had always impressed on him how thankful he was to have met the spirit, because it was thanks to him that he had found the friends he cherished so. But sitting there at the kitchen bar, between Anzu and Jounouchi, Jeu handing out pizza in front of him, surrounded by all of the people that were willing to stall and risk their lives yet again for his sake, Atem realized he had been granted the same gift. Through Yuugi he had formed a bond with everyone around him. They might not speak with him as much as Yuugi, but they cared about him, and he could trust each of them to stand by him.

He wasn't alone.

Getting an elbow in the side, he jerked his head up to find Jounouchi smirking at him, pointing across the counter. Following the finger, he found a beaming Jeu at the other end.

"What kind of pizza would you like, Atem?"


End file.
